


A Blessing In Disaster

by EmpressInferno



Series: The Fall of Man [1]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Angst, Badass Reader, Blood and Violence, Consensual Kink, Daryl Dixon Smut, Daryl Dixon x Reader, Daryl Dixon x Reader -Relationship, Declarations Of Love, Dom Negan (Walking Dead), Dom/sub, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Falling In Love, Glenn Rhee Lives, Good Friend Shane Walsh, Humor, Hurt Daryl Dixon, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Love Triangles, Merle Dixon Lives, Negan Being Negan (Walking Dead), Oral Sex, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Child Abuse, Past Relationship(s), Possessive Negan (Walking Dead), Protective Daryl Dixon, Protective Merle Dixon, Protective Negan (Walking Dead), Protective Rick, Protective Shane Walsh, Reader-Insert, Romance, Rough Sex, Shane Walsh Lives, Shy Daryl Dixon, Shy!Daryl Dixon, Slow Burn, Smut, hurt reader
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-12
Updated: 2019-01-23
Packaged: 2019-10-08 18:30:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 22
Words: 50,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17391455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmpressInferno/pseuds/EmpressInferno
Summary: See tags for warnings.You are a badass with a broken past who traveled the United States after the outbreak. Since running into groups like Terminus and Negan's Saviors on your travels through Georgia, you decided to make a little home on a secluded mountain with your tamed wolf companion. Everything was peace and harmony for a while, until a lost little girl named Sophia leads a grumpy archer right to your mountain.Together, the blue-eyed Daryl Dixon and the little girl who reminds you of your past convince you to join their group. The inexperience of the others start to clash with your sarcastic sense of humor, but you stick around to turn them into true survivors.





	1. Fated Introduction

**Author's Note:**

> Quick Note: This is not an alternate universe or a play by play rendition of The Walking Dead. This is an alternate timeline where events were changed due to your character's interference in the plot. Some things will remain the same and some things will be VERY different.
> 
> Each chapter will be around 2k words with the entire work being between 30k-60k.
> 
> Key:  
> Y/N -Your Name  
> Y/E/C -Your Eye Color  
> Y/S/C- Your Skin Color  
> Y/H/L -Your Hair Length  
> Y/H/C -Your Hair Color  
> Y/H - Your Height (tall/short)

 

**_A bit of the past..._ **

_You remember being a small girl and lying on your back, still awake while the other children were asleep. Crying until the tears filled your ears and the throbbing pain at your temples reminded you that you were real. You wished your mother would want you and to come back home. You wished that your sister didn't hate you. But there was a part of all of it that you knew you deserved._

_Each breath you inhaled was a burden to others, a fact they never failed to remind you of. You felt heat from the shredded flesh on your back and legs after being flogged with a belt, metal catching on the tender skin. It wasn't always a belt. It was whatever they could clutch in their meaty fists to batter you into submission with._

_The drops of blood that soaked through your tattered shirt stained the dirty pile of clothes you slept in and caused you to panic. You would be blamed for ruining the clothes even though they were hand-me-downs from thrift shops and second-hand stores._

_So, you pulled yourself up with heavy sighs and quiet grunts, careful not to wake anyone. Already you could hear the insults that they would throw at you, unaware that you thought far worse of yourself than they ever could. You remembered the aftermath, indeed. But most of all you remembered the day it all started and that is what caused you to lose sleep each night._

**_Now...._ **

The sounds of birds chirping in the morning sun brought a smile to your face. Smells of dew-covered grass mingle with the musty scent in the air. Y/E/C eyes blinked against the blinding light that warmed your already too hot skin. A windless Georgia heat caused the fabric of your long-sleeved shirt to cling to your body. Leaves rustled in the distance.

Instinctively, you reach for the longbow resting against the felled tree beside you.  _Shit._ You knew better than to rest unguarded. With reflexes that rivaled the speed of light, you readied your bow, drawing the string tight against your cheek as you exhaled deeply. Your eyes snapped from left to right, keeping your vision trained on the area you suspected the sound had come from.

You cleared out the walkers that had been ambling through the woods the night before, but that did not mean more had not found you. But this was your mountain, damn it! And you'd die before you let anyone take it from you.

Suddenly, a man stumbled from the tree line.

His shaggy brown hair curled against his sweat-dampened forehead as he stared at you with impossibly blue eyes. He leveled a crossbow at you. From the looks of him –he was barely able to stand due to blood loss from the wound in his side. A wicked smile curled upon your lips as you quirked an eyebrow at the stranger. "That's far enough..."

The crossbow wielding man said nothing. Tekah, your wolf and most loyal companion –well, he was your only companion- came out from the underbrush, lip pulled back into a snarl.

"Why don't you lower yours and I'll lower mine?" You added, "At least until whatever walkers you led here show up."

"I was careful." He grunted. And you didn't doubt him.

"Yeah, but my four-legged friend here doesn't take too kindly to strangers. I'm sure you understand..." You allowed a sweet smile to replace your signature smirk, wanting this over so you could get back to your home and into your gear. He eyed you cautiously as you kept your arrow ready should he make any threatening advances. 

His features paled, but not in fear. The tight grip he had on his crossbow slightly faltered with a grunt. He refused to let it drop and you got the sense that he wasn't used to being vulnerable around others. In the new world, who could blame him? Not many had your same outlook on the so-called tragedy that had befallen mankind. In truth, you saw it as a blessing.

It had been the remedy to your pain and you thanked whatever deity that would listen for the peace you had known since the fall of man. The stranger cautioned a step forward, earning him a warning growl from Tekah and a cheeky giggle from you.

"How'd ya' gitcher hands on a wolf in Georgia?" he drawled through barely opened lips.

"They aren't exactly extinct." You watch as he squinted at you before lowering his crossbow. Lowering your weapon in kind, your hand slithered down to your hip to ghost your palm over the hilt of one of your blades.

"But they ain't common neither. Whattcha name?" 

You hesitated, but he already saw your face so lying to him would only cause problems in the future. "Y/N," you state plainly. "And you are?"

"Daryl."

"Pleasure to meet you, Dar-" Before you could finish, the well-muscled figure that was Daryl toppled to the ground. You sighed bitterly and gathered your things, intending to leave him behind as you stomped through the forest. But that stupid organ that refused to stop beating in your chest forced you to turn back and help the man who was all shoulders, hair, and dreamy blue eyes. You could almost hear the gods laughing at you.


	2. New Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You reveal something important to Daryl and he finds himself feeling vulnerable.  
> Which one of you can be trusted?

**_Daryl-_ **

Y/N was different, that he could already tell. He had been awake soon after he felt his body being dragged along on a makeshift stretcher up the side of a steep incline. Daryl wanted to help, but he was too weak. She had things under control.

However, he was shocked to see Y/N after she geared up. Tight, black leathers that fit her legs like a second skin. That long-sleeved black shirt was covered in some sort of thin coat that fell to her knees and had a hood pulled up. As if the hood that came down dang near to her nose wasn't enough, she wore a mask over the lower half of her face. The entire thing made him start to sweat even harder.

It was too hot for something like that. She must not be from the south....

But if that damn mutt of hers doesn't stop looking at Daryl like he was lunch that was exactly what the snarly beast was going to end up as. He had no qualms fighting an animal for dominance, but he would much rather befriend one. Humans? He couldn't say the same. So, lying on a soft pile of blankets while a beautiful woman stitched up his side put a hitch in his usual process.

Normally, he would bark out a few well-placed insults or not say anything at all. But it all ended the same. It always ended with Daryl storming off into the woods like a jackass and leaving whoever was dumb enough to cross his path to deal with whatever bullshit he left behind.

**_You-_ **

"I can see those eyes, Dreamy Blue."

You felt accomplished with the sweet little nickname you came up for him while he had been asleep, but nothing made you feel giddy like watching the crimson blush appear across his handsome features. Dreamy Blue had eyes like you've never seen before. Thin, sensual lips were lined with a bit of scruff. High, regal cheekbones and a soft jawline that made you want to stroke his chin.

Your guest grunted out a response that you could barely hear. He was still a bit flustered by your singsong voice and the way you behaved so casually. You just pulled down your mask and continued to smile down at him as you pulled his shirt back into place. Daryl was going to need a new one, but you secretly hoped he wouldn't mind going without one for a while in case you had to sew him a shirt.

While fixing him up, you noticed how beautifully built the man was –not that you stared for long or openly ogled his appearance, but it was the apocalypse and a girl had the right to peek every once and a while, right? If those shoulders and hips were any indication though... _nope! Do not go there!_ You had no business thinking about Daryl's hips, especially with him looking up at you with a phantom smirk on his face.

You wanted to slap him for being so attractive, but you didn't. What was the point of saving the man's life if you were just going to put him back in danger? Daryl lifted up on his own, stubbornly waving away your help. He groaned deep in his chest, causing chill bumps to rise on your arms despite your many layers and the heat of the afternoon.

"What were you doing out here on your own?"

He snorted at your question. "Coulda' asked ya' the same thang."

"Fair enough. How about this? I tell you a few things and you repay the favor? The give and take thing worked out well for us last time," you offer smoothly, trying to use your charms. Daryl wasn't buying it. He closed off his expression, but gave a curt nod. Guess you're going first...again.

"Up in Wisconsin, the snow was falling like crazy. I could barely see three feet in front of my face, but I was already alone after a ...dispute with the family. Didn't know anything was wrong for a few days until I noticed the animals were scared. I was up near the Canadian border when I saw my first walker. That was when I met Takah, my wolf. After that, I traveled all over the entire United States in whatever car I could find on my own."

Daryl was busy processing that tidbit of your story, so he didn't notice the plate of food you set down in front of him. "Ya' were tryin' ta find answers?"

"No. I was relieved when the outbreak started. Figured it was a sign that the broken were meant to rise and find where they belonged. It was a new world. A new beginning more than an end to what was."

"Broken, huh?" he mumbled.

"Uh uh, your turn. Get to talking, Dreamy Blue."

There it was –that telltale blush that made him seem almost boyish. He lifted a dirty hand to his mouth and began to bite at the skin on his thumb in a nervous gesture.

"I was out here trackin' somethin' for my people....well, they ain't really my people, but my group. Survivors after it all started."

You look at the crossbow and the number of bolts he had on him when he dropped at your feet. "What were you tracking?"

"I was lookin' fer a little girl named Sophia. She got chased down by a few walkers and I been lookin' fer 'er a while now."

You thought to the little girl resting peacefully in your modest shelter not but ten feet from where Daryl had been sleeping. He must have seen a flash of recognition in your Y/E/C, because he fisted his hands in the lapels of your cloak and pulled you down to his face.

Daryl smelled like sweat, cigarettes, and the metallic tang of blood. But beneath it all you picked up subtle notes of mint, grass, and something that was all natural Daryl. You subconsciously licked your lips and averted your gaze.

"Ya' know where Sophia is, dontcha?"

You gave a quick jerk of your head, confirming his suspicions.

"Where she at?"

"I saved her a week ago. She's here, sleeping in there." His eyes widened when you pointed to your home, your sanctuary. You didn't have the heart to tell him that Sophia was not the little girl he once knew, but she was like you. She was broken and you believed Daryl would understand how. Her mother and the rest of his group? That you couldn't say.

"I need ta' see 'er. Make sure she's alright."

"No."

"No?" Daryl barked.

"That's right. I'll ask Sophia if she wants to see you. The decision is hers no matter what. If she chooses to see you or not, that's on her. If she chooses to leave or not, that is on her."

You pierce him with a look that has been known to make hardened criminals tremble from intimidation. It was the look that allowed no arguments to be had when you were strong in your convictions. When he stared you down instead of cowering like so many others, you softened your expression and used a different tactic. "I know you think of her as just a kid, but I have a feeling you understand how quickly that can change when life leaves you without options. A kid can grow up pretty fast out here. So I give her a choice because that's all she has left."

He looked away from your searching eyes to hide the secrets that lay in the depth of his own. "Y/N, you ain't got no reason ta trust me. But I ain't never done nothin' ta hurt a woman or a child. I'd die before I done somethin' like that..."

**_Daryl-_ **

"We're stayin' at a farm. It's where 'er mom is and where I need ta bring 'er. I'm riskin' a lot by tellin' ya' where we are, I hope that means somethin'."

"There aren't any farms around here..."

"Didn't say how long I'd been lookin' neither. But I cain't let Carol down. I promised 'er I'd bring Sophia back safely. Please, Y/N." Daryl Dixon begged for the first time since his dad used to beat on him. He felt foolish and weak from it, but he hoped she would understand.

She looked shocked.  _Probably disgusted by how weak you are..._

Her hand that still sat on his stomach twitched at his words. Daryl didn't know if she wanted to hit him or hold him tight, but he didn't have time to wonder when she implied something had happened to Sophia. He was desperate to make sure that Carol's little girl was safe. He wanted to believe Y/N that she was here, but he wouldn't -no, he couldn't until he saw her with his own eyes.

Y/N seemed to understand what he could not say. She stood up and walked over to the little shack. He leaned over a bit to peek inside, shocked to see what looked like a soft bed with actual sheets on the mattress and pillows. Daryl noticed the small table near the corner with a notebook and that damn mutt laying on the floor beside the bed. He didn't get to see much else because she closed the door.

He sat there, frustrated beyond belief, but he didn't know why. Was he mad that she made him sleep outside? No, he never had a problem with being treated like an outsider. Was he angry because she made his heart feel raw and exposed? Maybe.

Back in the woods, when Y/N was in just her shirt and pants, he noticed the scars that appeared on every visible piece of flesh. Heck, even the bottoms of her feet were crisscrossed with old wounds he had a feeling were from long before the outbreak. She was young, at least younger than him, but she had more battle scars than a seasoned vet.

Daryl's hand subconsciously rubbed circles into his thighs at the thought of his own scars that marred the flesh of his back and wondered if Y/N had more than what was obvious. Indeed, he understood that the worst wounds were the ones no one could see.

Just when he was about to shut down that train of thought and reinforce the walls he had built around his emotions -Sofia shuffled out of the small home with her hand gently tucked in Y/N's. Unshed tears pricked in his eyes, but he did not let them fall. Although he promised Carol he would bring her back, part of Daryl was always in denial that she surived. 

 _It's easy to forget that you're a failure when people start to trust you_.

**_You-_ **

You didn't know if he was aware that tears had begun to well in his eyes. The sight of it broke your heart. He must have been so hard on himself the entire time he was searching for the girl, not knowing she was safe. Sophia slowly removed her hand from yours and she walked over to Daryl. Neither of them moved, but you saw the worry in his eyes when he caught sight of the scar that ran along the side of her face from temple to jaw.

His finger brushed it lightly, but Sophia flinched away. She quickly returned to your side and you gave Daryl a sympathetic smile. "Where'd ya' find 'er?"

"I don't think that's my story to tell," you evaded. It was true. Whatever happened to Sophia, although she had confessed to you days ago, was her business. "But I found her, fixed up the cut on her face and...." everything else. "And then I brought Sophia here to keep her safe until she was ready to return to wherever she came from."

Sophia's bottom lip quivered as she buried her face in your side. For adults, what happened to her would seem like just another day in the new world. But being nearly eaten alive by walkers and almost taken by a gang of vicious  _humans -_ disgusting creatures, you'd take your chances with the undead any day- was too much for a young girl to handle. And those humans had cut her up pretty badly trying to get information on where her group was staying. Raiders, you called them, people who did nothing but take from those who survived instead of trying to make use of what remained.

"You're welcome to stay here tonight, in the house with us, Dreamy Blue. But if you try anything, I'll carve out those eyes I like so much and wear them as a necklace." The sweetness of your sarcastic smile was enough to give a dentist a toothache. Daryl snorted lightly, unfazed by your display of courage.

"Whatever ya' say,  _Cupcake_."

The nickname caught you off guard and you threw your head back in uncharacteristic laughter.


	3. Breaking Point

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Daryl share heated words (and not the good kind).

__**You~**   
  


The sun began to set in the distance, staining the sky in streaks of orange and violet as dark clouds rolled in. Darkness was what calmed you; the brightness of daytime brought nothing but awareness. Back before it all happened, you loved to stare out at city lights and get swept away by the beauty of it all. Now, if you were in the city it was because someone needed your help. But even stranded on the rooftop of a building while the dead shuffled through the streets, the night was beautiful. Different, but beautiful.

When you were a girl, you used to wish the shadows would swallow you up and you wouldn't have to breathe anymore. You had heard about other abuse victims creating a world inside of their heads to escape their pain, but even as a little girl all you saw was darkness. There weren't any happy memories to lose yourself in. No childhood dreams or aspirations to look forward to. Heck, you didn't even think you would survive until the age of twelve.

But you were smart. You read books and those were always your escape. School was for learning and you enjoyed it, but you trusted no one. You had no friends, you spoke to none of your teachers, and your family had you too afraid of the cops to ever come clean about what was being done to you. So, you were alone. And for a while that was the worst of it, watching your sister live a normal life as you fended off the people who were supposed to protect you the most.

But then being alone was what you enjoyed most. Being completely alone meant no one was sneaking up behind you to feel you up beneath your shirt or walking in on you in the shower. It meant no secret trips to the basement at your grandfather's house or sitting on anyone's lap. It meant you didn't have to watch your cousins shoot up on the couch or sell their bodies to get more money for drugs.

Alone in the dark was where you thought of peace. The ultimate peace.

There were cigarette burns and scars on your arms, the large cuts that slashed through both sides of your torso, and the self-harm scars on your legs. But there were also the memories to go along with everything. If living through it the first time was bad, sleeping was worse. Sleeping was when the faces morphed into demons with loving smiles.

Pulling yourself out of your thoughts, you squeezed your eyes shut. There was a strange pain in your chest until you realized you had been holding your breath. Movement came from within your shelter and you looked up to see Daryl standing in the doorway.

Dreamy Blue wore a skeptical expression on his face. "I'mma kill 'em."

You scrunch your brow and frown in confusion. "Who?"

"That damn wolf."

" _That damn wolf's_  name is Tekah, he might be a little nicer if you learned to use it." You motioned for him to take a seat, but he shook his head. Again, you were confused, but you shrugged until he explained.

"Ain't ya' comin' inside?"

You huff quietly before rising to your feet and moving toward him. For a moment, he didn't move. Daryl just stared at you like you were some sort of strange puzzle he couldn't quite put together. It was adorable. With a wink and a little bit more swagger in your walk, you came a little closer. "You either move, or I can move you."

There was that damn grunt again. "I'd like ta see ya' try, Princess."

_Princess? First it was Cupcake and now Princess? Weirdo._  But you liked it. He didn't seem like the sort to have very much of a playful side, so you would take what you could get.

"Don't you worry, Dreamy Blue. I know just what it takes to get you going, never doubt that."

It was harmless flirting, nothing more. And sure, you were all talk, but he didn't know that. Of course, by now you knew how to use what you had been conditioned to think was normal as a means to get what you wanted, but it still sickened you at the thought of being touched by anyone. During your stay in Hell, you realized that it didn't matter the person's gender, race, or whatever –someone always wanted something from you. And if you weren't willing to give it up, they would take it.

**_Daryl~_ **

Yeah, he wasn't buying it. When he walked out of the little shack she called a home, he could see she was lost in thought. He knew that look of terror that kept a person from being able to behave like a normal human. But when Y/N looked at the dark clouds above, he saw contentment in her Y/E/C eyes. Every instinct he had told him not to let his guard down around her. She was too heavily armed and seemed to know the wilds even better than he did, which wasn't something he came across too often.

Nah, something was buried deep inside of Y/N. Something wicked, he just knew it. Not many women traveled the country on their own in this new world and lived to talk about it. Whether he believed her wasn't important. But he saw how skilled she had readied her bow. He saw how many blades she had strapped down the side of her leathers and the dual ended daggers at her hips. Y/N wasn't no ordinary survivor like the people in his group.

Daryl knew she was a survivor long before everything went to shit.

And he hated the part of his brain that backfired when she stepped into his personal space. Y/N smelled of snow and fire wrapped in a rainstorm. He wanted to reach out and grab her hips and pull her close, but he didn't know why. Daryl wasn't the sort of person who reacted to looks or nothing like that, but he couldn't deny the fact that she was beautiful. All of the scars he had seen so far didn't change that.

Y/S/C made his mouth water and her Y/H/L, Y/H/C hair made him want to run his fingers through it. But it was that mother-fucking smile that made something in his chest clench up. Daryl looked down into those hellfire eyes and swallowed loudly.

"Ya' always make moves on strangers ya' meet in the woods, Y/N? Cuz if yer that type a girl, then I'd rather take my chances with a walker."

That had been the wrong thing to say. Her head snapped back like he hit her with a physical blow and that smile disappeared in the blink of an eye. Daryl cursed under his breath as Y/N shoved passed him and sat beside Sophia at the small table tucked in the corner of the little home.  _Damn it, Daryl._

If Merle were here, he would have said something worse or taken her up on the offer. And that didn't make him feel any better. He should apologize, but his damn shame forced his head down as he followed her.

**_You~_ **

Sophia rarely spoke and when she did it was briefly. You tried to focus on the meal you had served only a few minutes after Daryl's backhanded insults. Who was he to judge you? Had you not saved his and Sophia's lives and proven that you weren't  _that type a girl?_ You growled in your mind at him when he refused to meet your gaze across the table. As if he could read your mind, Tekah gave an answering growl.

It made you smile down at your overly protective companion, especially when Daryl eyed the sweet boy at your feet with hesitation. Honestly, you didn't know what had drawn the wolf to you. It had been the same night you ran into your first walker. You had fallen asleep in the woods, curled up in an abandoned car that had crashed in the woods, hiding from the snow. The doors were missing, but it was the closest thing to a shelter you had been able to find out there and you weren't eager to catch hypothermia.

You woke up with an insanely warm feeling pressed into your side. A wet nose nudged at your neck and breathed hot air across your face. At first, you thought a dog had found you. But looking over into the most vivid blue eyes... _like Daryl's eyes_...

No. No. Nope. Absolutely fucking not. You weren't going to humor yourself with anymore thoughts of that jackass.

There had been no mistaking Tekah for a dog after you looked at him for the first time. You were frightened, shivering in the dark. But after he hadn't ripped out your throat and made a meal out of your insides, you let him follow you around for weeks until he eventually became a permanent fixture in your life.

Sadly, Tekah remained the most functional relationship you've ever had.

"So we just gonna sit 'ere and not say nothin'?" Daryl grumbled.

You rolled your eyes.

"Didn't think you wanted to talk to someone who was  _that type a girl_. Wouldn't want to offend your civilized sensibilities."

"Cut the crap, Y/N. Ya' know I didn't mean it like that!"

"Did I? Because I only met you this morning. You're actually lucky Sophia recognized you or you wouldn't be on my mountain!" Sophia reached over and grabbed your hand. You looked down and noticed you had stabbed one of your daggers into the table and leaned over into Daryl's face.

Pulling yourself together, you sheathed your blade and sat back down. Tekah took a little more time to settle down than usual, but he calmed without too much of a fuss.

"Didn't think a bit of banter would cause ya' ta have a temper tantrum, Cupcake."

"Calling someone a whore isn't banter, Daryl. It's judgment of their character and one you don't have the privilege of making. If you want to see a temper tantrum, I'd be happy to show you one." Your words dripped with venom even though your face was just as impassive as his. Something got through that thick head, however, because he looked around the room uncomfortably.

Good.

It was over, somewhat, but you couldn't help but bait him a bit more.

"Besides, calling me a whore because I'm a woman and I wanted to flirt with you is like me calling you inbred because you're a redneck who likes to hunt."

"Watcha mouth, Princess."

"Back at you, Dreamy Blue."

Daryl glared at you until you squirmed in your seat. God, you hated what that face was making you think about. Only hours ago he had nearly bled to death. But here you were thinking about how easy it would be to hang on to those shoulders and take him for a ride. It was strange, though. After everything you had been through, feeling desire had only happened once or twice down the road, but never like this.

No one ever made you feel breathless with just one look. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know if you would like longer chapters.


	4. Who We Are

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Daryl get to know each other a little better before all hell breaks loose.

_Daryl~_

He still felt like shit for making her feel bad about herself. Everything she said was true, he had no business judging somebody he didn't even know. That was Merle, not him. Damn he missed his brother even though he was a pain in the ass most of the time. It was strange having people depend on him and actually look forward to seeing him every day. Daryl was the hunter for his group, so sometimes they couldn't eat for days if he didn't bring back a catch. And that made him feel...uneasy? No, useful. Yeah, but wasn't that a laugh. Daryl Dixon had never been much use to anybody until the world went belly up.

Maybe there was some truth in what Y/N had said. Maybe it was time for the people who didn't belong in the other world to make a place for themselves in the new one. To be honest, he liked how quiet it was now without all of the cars or electronics blaring in peoples' ears. But there were times when he would be hunting for hours with nothing to listen to but the sound of his own breathing and a walker in the distance, making him yearn to hear someone speak. It was lonely out there in the wild on your own, if he was going to be honest. But Y/N seemed to do alright even if she was a little strange. He thought about her clothes and figured she was some sort of...nerd before the world fell.

"Where'd ya' gittcher gear?" he grumbled quietly in the dark that night, knowing she wasn't sleeping anymore than he was.

He was up on the couch, Sophia was on the bed, and Y/N had taken the floor while the wolf kept guard. It was weird and he felt ridiculous being comfortable while she was on the floor, even if she insisted that she couldn't sleep on beds or anything even in her old life. She claimed they were too soft and she didn't want to get them dirty.

"Found it at a Chicago Comic Con while traveling. Took bits and pieces off of costumes that I thought looked cool. Blood doesn't show up on black as bad as it does on other colors, so I thought it worked out. Stole the armored stuff off of some riot gear in New York. That place was bad, almost completely overrun by walkers. Well...back then I called them zombies like a normal person. I guess 'walkers' helps keep them human more than monsters, so I started using Sophia's term for them when I found her. Sweet girl..."

Daryl wouldn't know. He'd been a jackass to everybody he met so far, so it had shocked the group when he had been the one to volunteer to search for Carol's missing daughter after she got chased off. Part of him wanted to make up for the time he yelled at her pretty bad, but the rest was because he actually  _cared_  about what could happen to a child out in the wilderness. There was no use in arguing with Shane or the others when each breath they wasted while discussing it was another second they weren't out looking. Daryl wasn't much of a talker anyway, so he ignored them and went out on his own with a promise to the girl's mother.

"How long ya' been in Georgia?"

"Not sure. Before Sophia, I didn't pay attention to all of that."

"Why?"

"What's the point? Time was nothing but a tool used to enslave us after a while. The weather changes, the sun comes up, the sun goes down, moon, stars, snow, rain...I take it as it comes and don't put any significance behind it anymore. Like I said, this is a new world. It's not the world of man anymore and I got rid of all of that when things changed," she sighed heavily.

Daryl thought on that. He grunted a bit, just to make sure Y/N knew he heard her.

"Who were you before all of this, Dreamy Blue?"

His lips twitched into a smirk in the darkness. He didn't know why he let her get away with using such a dorky name, but it made him feel...well, he didn't know. Daryl wasn't very good at recognizing how he felt and overthinking things just made it all worse. He cleared his throat a bit and thought about what he wanted to say and what he should leave out. "A redneck."

Her hushed snort made his smile grow just a tiny bit. She laughed so easily even when he was sure her life before had been just as hellish as his. "M' tellin' ya' the truth. That's all I was. Small house, asshole brother, not a lot a money, lived off the land mostly, showered even less than I do now -if ya' can believe it. The man who made me was a piece a work, so I ain't realy have much use for 'em. Got thrown in jail 'cause of some shit my brother pulled, hated the cops, never went ta' school, fixed up motorcycles, and...that's 'bout it, really. I'm just...Daryl Dixon. Never been nothin' else."

He knew he said too much. Daryl tilted his head to the side to look down where Y/N was laying on the floor.

She smiled over at him and said, "I don't believe you."

"Don't matter. It's the truth."

"No, I believe the story -if that's what you want to call it. But I don't believe you're  _just Daryl Dixon the redneck_. Honestly, I don't know what it is yet, but I see something in you."

"Be best ta' stop lookin', Princess. Ya' ain't gonna find what ya' wantin' ta' see."

_You~_

You didn't know if it was the sound of his voice or the conversation, but you and Daryl let down your guards long enough to fall asleep for a few hours. It wasn't long after the two of you dozed off that the sun came up, basking your mountain in the muted light of the early morning. The scent of dew-covered grass filled the little shelter and the heat already began to climb. You dreamt of that voice, like smoke and gravel from years of drinking whiskey and smoking cigarettes. When your Y/E/C eyes finally opened to take in the room, mind still a bit groggy, you turned to look at Daryl.

Those cunning blue eyes were closed. His lips were parted slightly as he snored a little. The corner of his mouth was quirked up, causing you to wonder what he was dreaming about. Daryl looked almost peaceful in his sleep and you contemplated if this was the first time he allowed himself such peace since Sophia went missing. He seemed to care for her safety, even if he didn't technically care for her in particular. Daryl Dixon was the sort of man who looked at things realistically. She was a child, a child who needed saving, and that was that. You admired his selflessness even though it was wrapped in a pretty package and an attitude that made you want to punch him in the face.

Daryl opened his eyes, catching you staring at him. Your cheeks flushed violently, but it was no use in turning away or closing your eyes to pretend you were sleeping. You, however, laugh your ass off quietly when a short-tempered " _Creep_ " was thrown at you with a hit of a smile still tugging at the corners of his mouth. 

"Stop making such a pretty picture and I wouldn't be tempted to stare," you shot back, causing him to blush this time. He closed his eyes and groaned as if you were the most irritating thing to wake up to. Again, Daryl Dixon was just adorable. You were woman enough to admit it. Sure, he was (older/younger/same age), not usually what you went for, but it made your attraction to him no less potent.

A guttural growl and Tekah's howl snapped you back to awareness.

"Damn mutt's gonna bring walkers here!" Daryl barked. You shut him down with one look and snatched up your bow.

"Walkers are already here," you retorted. "Tekah only howls when there's danger, I trained him to alert me when a hoard is near. We have to move now while he leads them away."

Daryl pulled to his feet and followed your lead, although you could tell that bothered him a bit. You didn't know who was the leader of his group, but you hoped Daryl listened to him with less resistance than you got. "Stop dragging ass, Dreamy Blue. You have to cover us," you said as you shoved one of your dual-ended daggers into his hand. He looked at you with confusion, but accepted the blade. "I have to carry Sophia so we can run, she won't catch up with us and I'm not leaving her behind to get lost again."

Sophia pulled on her own gear before you pulled her up. She wrapped her arms around your neck and her legs around your waist as the two of you practiced before. She knew what she had to do if the mountain was ever overrun by walkers. With her safely in place, you gripped your other dagger and ran through the front door. Tekah ran at full speed in the opposite direction, howling every few minutes to keep the walkers moving away from you. Once they were far enough away from the now ruined shelter, you knew he would go to where he was expected to wait for you. Tekah was a good boy, Daryl was not.

Daryl was reckless even if his skills were impressive to say the least. He moved with such grace and fluidity, but often went out of his way to put himself in danger. That mentality was going to have to change if he wanted to live long enough to see his group again. You snapped out a few orders, giving him pause for a few seconds, but he would do as you said even though he complained the entire time.

When you arrived at the rendezvous location, Tekah was already there. He circled around the three of you as you explained to Daryl why it was a necessary thing. "We had a bad run-in with walkers in Nevada. When he gets like this, it's best not to move. We're covered in walker guts, so he can't tell by our scent. Walkers would attack him, humans would freeze at the sight of a wolf thinking there would be more."

Daryl just grunted and agreed, but stiffened when Tekah took off into the woods. You set Sophia down and instruct her to climb the tree and wait. You and Daryl chase after Tekah. You needed to get to your pack and the rest of your gear, but the three of you had to take care of the nine walkers Tekah sensed. With your bow in hand, you readied an arrow. Daryl did the same with his crossbow, waiting for the moment Tekah signaled the assault. One blood-chilling bark and the three of you jumped into action.

You and Daryl dropped three with your arrows and bolts, but it was taking too long to reload. A wicked smile slid across your face as you gripped your dagger and rushed the small group of walkers. Daryl stabbed one through the eye, yanked out the blade and used the opposite end to shove it under the chin of another walker. He stopped to watch as you fought off the remaining walkers.

_Daryl~_

Y/N was a badass. Even when one of her weird knives got stuck in a walker head, she fought them off with her fists and swift kicks. She moved in a flurry of movement, almost a blur as she seemed to dance more than fight. It was elegant and beautiful, but deadly at its core. Yeah, there was a story there. One Daryl intended to figure out. Y/N fought like they did in the movies Merle loved to watch, like she had been doing it for years. One of the last walkers pushed her to the ground, but before Daryl could react to help...

The walker let loose a loud groan when a blade shot out of Y/N boot and pierce its skull.

She rolled the walker off of her and stood up with a blinding smile on her face. She was having  _fun_. Daryl shook his head and looked at her without a spec of emotion on his face. He didn't want her to think he was judging her, even though he was. A normal person -no, a _stable_ person wouldn't find enjoyment in killing something that had once lived a human life. He killed them out of necessity, a means of survival, but he didn't enjoy it. Sure, it was a release at times, but...what she did was different.

Y/N eyed Daryl with a sultry smirk, wiping her blade off onto her cloak before pulling her mask over the lower-half of her face. She trudged past him expecting him to follow. And he did. When they made their way back to Sophia, the little girl dropped out of the tree holding two backpacks full of...well, he didn't know.

"The one I carry has food, blankets, and other supplies you'll need. The second pack is lined well, so we use it as a water pack. Drink from the tubes I sewed into it and use the patch kit if it starts to leak. Tekah and I are going back to see what we can salvage of our home. Good luck, Dreamy Blue. Take care of her, ok?"

There was such sadness in her Y/E/C eyes as she raked her hands through her Y/H/L, Y/H/C hair. Daryl spoke before he could think of the consequences. "Come with us, Y/N. Our group is strong in numbers, but we could use ya' help keepin' people safe."

He thought she would just walk away, but it surprised him when one look at Sophia's tear-streaked face was all it took for her to nod her head in agreement. Daryl turned away to hide his smile, but something warm fluttered in his chest.

Y/N, Daryl, Sophia, and the damn wolf made their way toward where he believed the farm was located. He recognized several of his own markers as they walked quietly, listening for walkers or other people who could be following them. Daryl spotted the location where he had his vision of Merle, half out of his mind. Even though she couldn't see his face, Daryl tried to keep Y/N from noticing how his cheeks colored with shame. When he crouched down to look for tracks, something fell around his neck.

He looked down at a necklace made of walker ears and snapped his gaze up to her eyes. Daryl would have been disgusted, but he was more confused than anything. Her expression was completely serious and held the utmost sincerity as a girlish flush appeared on her usually impassive face. When she wasn't laughing or killing, it was hard to know what Y/N was thinking.

"You're a warrior of the new world, Dreamy Blue. You rise with the broken."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are about to pick up majorly in the next chapter and the beloved characters from the show are going to have questions for you! So, prepare for the 'interrogation' and reuniting with humanity.


	5. Where The Weird Ones Roam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You finally meet Daryl and Sophia's group. Things don't go well, as you can imagine.

**_You~_ **

As your small pack of wayward wanderers made its way closer to the farm where Daryl and Sophia's group were waiting, he thought it was best if he went ahead to let everyone know what to expect. You were still mad at him for shrugging off your offer of the gear you had in your bag. He was covered in walker blood and limping like one, but you let him be stubborn anyway after you decided it wasn't worth your breath to keep arguing. You still carried Sophia against your chest and the water pack on your back as Daryl carried the weapons and the other provisions. It was a long walk and your body ached. Sweat dripped down below your hood as you licked your dry lips. Sophia now wore your mask as she slept quietly with her head against your shoulder, feeling safe in your capable arms.

Even in the small amount of time you spent with the little girl after you saved her, there was no denying how attached you've grown. The sight of those men circling a frightened child as she all but bled out at their feet caused rage to boil in your veins. They had beaten her and cut her up with a knife as though she stood as tall as they did. You felt no remorse for plunging your arrows between their eyes, hoping their souls rotted away like the creatures you were meant to fear. No one who harmed a child deserved an afterlife, not even one of torture in the fiery inferno of the underworld. They deserved nothing, but an end to their wretched lives. You pulled Sophia closer, rubbing soothing circles into her back as you watched Daryl approach the farm.

You had thought he would've judged you for your gruesome gift, but he seemed to accept it for what it was: an initiation into your twisted little family. The closer he got to where you saw other people, the more you felt a sinking in the pit of your stomach. He hobbled unevenly until a shot rang out from somewhere on the farm.

Your heart plummeted to your boots when you saw him drop like a sack of rocks. With Sophia still holding you tight, you and Tekah break through the tree line and rush to Daryl's side. You had only known him for about four days, but the thought of never seeing those eyes again or that teasing smile that never failed to make your heart flutter...it broke something in you. Daryl didn't deserve to die like a walker. You didn't hear the animalistic battle cry that escaped your lips. You didn't feel the tears streaming down your face as you carried a crying little girl. Tekah stood guard over Daryl until you made your way over to where he was. Blood poured from a wound in his head. You screamed his name with pure, unhindered desperation lacing your voice.

Tekah kept three men from reaching Daryl as you set Sophia down and pulled him into your arms to check the damage. One of the men lifted a revolver and pointed it at Tekah. You turned all of the fury you had in your heart toward him and said, "Don't." The look in your eyes, a feral protectiveness that caused the man to lower his weapon. He stared into your eyes for what felt like an eternity until his gaze flickered over to Sophia. He fell to his knees in a sign of relief and reached for her, stunned when she pulled away.

A woman in the distance cried out Sophia's name and the little girl ran to her, but you paid no attention. Your focus was on Daryl and how much blood covered the both of you. "We have a doctor, his name is Hershal," the man with the gun explained. He held his hands out, palms facing you as though you were a cornered animal ready to attack more than Tekah. In a way, he was correct.

"My name is Rick Grimes. This is Shane." He gestured to the man hovering to his right. "Daryl is part of our group and we want to help him, okay? We think this was an accident, but you gotta let us help him before he bleeds out."

"He's wearing ears..." Someone else announced.

Reluctantly, you nod your head as Rick and Shane lift Daryl and carry him. You grab all of your gear and stay back with Tekah until you notice a woman carrying the gun you assumed was responsible for harming Daryl. Before the other's can gauge your reaction, you have an arrow notched in your bow and release it. You watch as it whistles through the air and pierce her shoulder, causing her to drop the firearm. With your signature smile, you approach -only to feel a knee shove into your abdomen, dropping you to the ground. You were so focused on the thought of carving her like a pumpkin that you hadn't noticed Shane move to your side. Two people held down Tekah as he fought to protect you.

The butt-end of a gun was brought down on your head. Darkness swam in your vision until you were lost to the shadows....

**_Your First Two Weeks In Georgia~_ **

_"Wake the fuck up, doll. We ain't gonna wait here all day for your cute little ass to get movin'. Fought like hell against my men. Killed four of 'em and damn near took out Dwight's eye in the process. Good thing Simon tracked you and that little furry fucker out here, or else I'd have been real real mad. That shit does not swing around here. Now come take your punishment like a good girl..."_

_Those were the first words he ever said to you._

_God, the sound of that too happy voice and the sight of Negan's sickly sweet smile -the one you adapted- made you want to throw up. You loved him, you really did. He was your 'Savior', a nickname he was all too tickled by. He found you after a group of men had tied down Tekah and used your body against your will. Negan hunted each and every one of them down and bashed in their skulls with the bat that was never too far from his reach. Lucile, his deadly mistress that made him seem more insane than he actually was._

_But you knew Negan. In the week you spent at his side, you had fallen in love with the ruthless leader who had stepped into a position of power after too many were scared shitless to do what needed to be done. You admired him. He was the only one who seemed to understand that humans could not survive by following the rules of the old world. Negan had healed a part of you that you never knew was broken and you owed him for that. He gave you strength, never let you cower behind the mask or the hood, making you face him head-on like the badass he knew you were. Only you saw the softer side of him._

_It hadn't been the violence, the dictatorship, or even his pitiful men that made you run -it was the wives. You didn't want to share what should have always been yours. But it had broken your heart every time he went to see Sherry or the others. You knew that his heart belonged to you, and that no one else after Lucile -his first and true wife before she died- had ever owned that piece of him. Running from Negan was dangerous, but one of the best decision you had made in your life._

_And while you ran, you came across Sophia in a situation that was all too reminiscent of what you had survived that fateful night._

**_Daryl~_ **

He woke up with a bandage on his head and Rick standing over him. Daryl's mouth tasted foul and the pain in his head nearly made his eyeballs roll all the way back in his skull. Rick didn't look too happy, but what was new about that? The man seemed to have a perpetual scowl on his face that rivaled Daryl's own. Between the two of them, the only one who could look more pissed off was Shane. Who, at the moment, was shouting about something he could care less about. Sophia was safe and in Carol's arms, that was all that mattered.

Through the fog that still lingered in his mind, Daryl heard the sound of a dog whimper. No -not a dog, Tekah. He jumped out of bed and instantly regretted the sudden movements, his head spun dangerously and nausea threatened to overwhelm him. But he ignored Rick's protests as he shuffled toward the sound. Someone had tied the wolf up -not in a way that cruel by human standards, but Daryl knew for a proud hunter like Tekah, it was torture. He crouched low despite the pain that rippled through his body and offered his hand to the mutt. The growl that rumbled from that mouth kept him at a distance, but he stared down into those eyes that looked so much like his.

He didn't hear Andrea approach him from behind, but the sound of her boots caused him to leap beside Tekah as he and the wolf pressed back agains the tree, ready to strike. So, that was what had the animal on edge. He wasn't growling at Daryl, he was protecting him from what Daryl couldn't see. He gingerly laid his palm against the scruff on the back of Tekah's neck, but he made no move to soothe the animal. He was pissed too. She stopped in her tracks when both sets of stormy blue eyes glared at her.

"I'm sorry, Daryl. I thought you were a walker..." Whatever else she said, he wasn't listening to. He saw the bandage around her shoulder and smiled. Rick gaped at him until Daryl noticed he was still smiling openly. Y/N. Part of him knew, even as he dropped to the ground after getting shot, that she wouldn't let the one who pulled the trigger walk away without spilling some blood too.

It was then that he realized he didn't know where she was. Sophia was no doubt still with Carol, but he expected Y/N to be by his side like the day they first met. But if she really did shoot Andrea, then Rick wouldn't let her anywhere near the group until he knew she wasn't a threat. He unhooked Tekah from the tree, but kept his hand on the wolf so he wouldn't tear out Andrea's throat. Rick protested, yet again, how it was a bad idea for A.) Daryl to be up and moving, B.) Tekah to run free, C.) Y/N to know where the group was.

Again, Daryl brushed it all aside as he followed Tekah. Both man and beast searching for enigmatic girl who wore the cloak and wielded a bow like a professional. His heart clenched when they saw her gear neatly placed on the ground. "Where'd ya' take 'er?" he demanded from Rick. Both he and Tekah did not like the sight of her things left behind. If they forced her out on her own without her gear, he would be out for blood. She saved his life, she saved Sophia's life, and he owed her more than he owed any of them. With Y/N he already felt like he belonged. He wasn't an outsider, he was part of something _more_.

He looked down, in search for the necklace she gave him and saw that it was missing.

"Where the hell is she?!" Daryl shouted.

Rick lifted his hands in a gesture that was meant to be calming, but it just pissed him off more. He needed answers, now. Not a speech.

"Shane is questionin' her out in the fields. She can't stay here, Daryl. What were you thinkin' brinin' her here?"

"You left 'er with _Shane?!_  Are you blind or just fuckin' stupid, Rick?! Shane don't care about nothin' and you took 'er stuff so she cain't defend 'erself? I ain't the one who saved Sophia when she was out there on 'er own! It was Y/N! She saved the both of us, man! And if she ain't welcome here then neither am I and if you think Sophia is gonna stay here without 'er, then you really are stupid."

Fear finally entered Rick's gaze as he raced toward the direction Shane had just wandered off to. Daryl would kill him if Y/N was hurt.

**_You~_ **

You were hurt.

But you were stronger than this asshole. If he thought beating you into submission and questioning you about 'your group' -which didn't exist by the way- was going to weaken you, then he was in for a surprise. Shane stood above you like some dumb ass avenging angel with a hero's complex, thinking he intimidated you. He refused to believe that you and Tekah had been alone before taking in Sophia. You didn't tell him about Negan and the Saviors because you left them behind. Shane couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that you were a woman and were more capable of surviving on your own than he was.

In the two weeks you spent with Negan, you had seen more shit and endured far more than he could ever comprehend. A psychotic bout of laughter erupted from your chest as he smashed his fist into your jaw. Yeah, he was pissed now. That ego would get him killed one day if your arrow didn't do the job.

"You think this is funny, little girl?" he asked with a sarcastic smile that made you tilt your head in mock confusion.

"I thought it was hilarious. Are we not playing a game right now?"

"I've got half a mind to leave you here for the walkers to get you. Keep up the smartass routine and that's exactly what I'll do."

More laughter. "I'm glad you admit to having half a mind. Thought I was going to have to let you down easy."

Another sharp blow landed against your cheek. You spit blood onto the grass and struggled to your feet. He tied your arms behind your back, but kept your feet free, as though that made him less of a coward. Shane took one look at your gear and knew he couldn't take you on. A fighter recognized a fighter. There was respect in his eyes when you didn't attempt to run away or fight back, you simply took whatever he threw your way and smiled like a good girl.

However, stripped down to nothing but an athletic bra and panties was not how you wanted to do this -especially when Daryl and Rick came running toward you. Shame made you hide behind Shane. You didn't want Daryl to see your scars. You didn't want Daryl to look at you with disgust when he saw just how weak you were. For the first time since the new world had come to be, you cried.

_**Daryl~** _

He saw her cower behind Shane and noticed she was barely dressed. Why would she hide behind the man who was beating her? Was it because violence as more familiar than the pity even he saw in Rick's eyes? Shane used all of his force to turn and kick her back down to the ground. Daryl launched toward him only to be stopped by Rick. He started to say something, but was cut off by the sound of Y/N's cries. Even Shane looked shaken by the sight of her shivering on the ground, trying her best to hide.

Daryl saw the scars. He saw the lines across her back that were too much like his, a phantom pain tingling against his spine. He saw the ones caused by others and the ones she no doubt caused to herself. A thin scar ran horizontal across her throat. Thick cuts, burn marks -some round, some flat and long-, gashes, and too many more for him to identify marred her Y/S/C flesh. Y/N looked as though she had barely survived a car crash and it infuriated him that Shane had seen the scars, but didn't stop to think that hitting you was going too far.

He had been a cop for fuck's sake.

Shane's next words brought him back to reality and ready to kill.

"What's the matter? Daddy didn't love his little girl enough?" he taunted.

Rick was there to stop Daryl, but not Tekah. Daryl whistled like Y/N had done back in the forest and the wolf pinned Shane to the ground by his throat. No one dared to move in case they sent Tekah or even Daryl into a blood rage. With one more whistle, he could end Shane's life. But it was the barely there whisper that shattered the tension-filled silence.

"Nah, Daddy loved his little girl too much."

Daryl couldn't see through the tears that spilled from his eyes as he struggled to get near her. Y/N looked up finally, that impassive expression sliding back into place as she stood up so he didn't have to kneel down. Her legs wobbled as did her lower lip, but other than that, she gave no indication of how she felt. He reached for her, but the pain in his head caused him to stop. Y/N, with her arms still tied behind her back and a bruised face within sight, forced her shoulder beneath his arm. "Hold on to me, Dreamy Blues. We don't need you falling over."

Rick moved then. He cut the rope that bound Y/N and said, "I'm sorry. If you don't think we're all a bunch of ruthless bastards, then I'd like to invite you to stay with our group. You can have whatever you need and all of your things back to make up for what happened here today. We aren't all like him and I hope with time you get to see that. Sophia would like you to stay as well..."

It was a low blow to bring Sophia up, but Y/N shook it off.

Instead, she turned to Daryl and said, "I think they're starting to like me, Daryl."  


	6. What's Yours Is Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She should have avoided you. Really, she should have.

_**You~** _

“So, who were you before all of this?” Rick asked. 

You snorted and shook your head. “A walker.”

He didn’t find your answer funny as you helped Daryl back to where the others were. You wanted to make sure Sophia was alright, but you knew the sight of your battered face might trigger one of her panic attacks. Daryl lightened your mood by grumbling in your ear a little.

“Ya’ sorta smell like one, too.”

You and Daryl both laughed at sorry attempts at making jokes, just loud enough for the two of you to hear. Rick looked at the two of you like a disapproving father.

Shane was purposely kicking dirt at the back of your bare legs like a petulant child.

It was easy to act like Daryl never saw your scars because  _Daryl_  acted like he hadn’t seen them. You wished that was true, but you were grateful he didn’t ask questions. Rick? The man couldn’t seem to stop asking questions and it was getting annoying. You weren’t much of a talker despite how openly you conversed with Daryl. Rick and the others just wouldn’t understand, you assumed.

The broken had a way of sensing their own and if Rick thought the little farm nestled away in the hills of Georgia was safe from what was out there –you honestly couldn’t wait to see the shock on his face.

Sure, Daryl had told you about the CDC and all of that nonsense. But they had no idea. Even though you wanted to kill Shane, he was more equipped to deal with the new world than they were. Rick still had the heart of an honest man and hope in his eyes that marked him as an optimistic sort of guy. It was slightly sickening. You had nothing against him, you didn’t know him, but they were in for a shit storm when they finally faced the people out here.

When the small group of weary hearts made its way toward the camp, fire snapped in your eyes.  _How dare they?!_  You watch as people helped themselves to your things, digging through your bag. Drinking the water from your pack.

“You all couldn’t wait until Shane killed me before robbing me blind? How very  _human_  of you,” you sneered before leaning Daryl against the side of the house and snatching your things out of their hands. The cans were half empty, the jerky you made yourself was gone, and the rest of the food had been divided up among them and eaten like a flock of scavengers.

Didn’t they know you needed those things to survive?

It was a good thing you were wearing Rick’s shirt or else you would have been subjected to their stares as well as their thievery.  _This_  was why you avoided people. They took what they wanted from you without a care in the world. Sophia, thankfully, had hoarded what she could salvage from the backpacks and carried it over to you. She knew how you were; having picked up a few of your habits in the time you had spent training her how to hide and survive on her own should she be left behind again.

Neither of you spoke as she grabbed your hand and led you over to what was obviously Daryl’s tent. It was far away from the others and there were squirrel pelts littering the ground. He had the nerve to look sheepish as he hobbled behind you, as if you would judge him for providing for his group. You rolled your eyes over your shoulder at him, just knowing exactly what he was doing.

“Home sweet home,” you retorted.

He grunted, but allowed you to help him into the tent so he could rest.

The bitch you shot with your arrow approached the makeshift camp where you, Daryl, and Sophia tried to get comfortable. Tekah was on her heels in an instant, sneaking up behind her, but he stopped with a pointed look from you. Tekah knew he wasn’t to attack unless you were in danger or he was signaled to. He cocked his head in your direction and then snapped at Andrea, causing her to jump back and put more distance between her and your pack. You smiled your perfected Negan smile at her.

"I just came to apologize to Daryl, he left before I could finish. I'm sorry..." That was the wrong thing to say. Nothing got you fired up like a half-assed 'I'm sorry', the bitch should be groveling at Daryl's feet. No, better yet...she should have stayed away. You jump to your feet, pull the knife from the stump beside Daryl's tent, and pressed the sharp tip beneath her chin. Andrea trembled at the things she saw in the depths of your Y/E/C eyes and the unsettling grin on your face.

"Let me explain something to you, Barbie. I don't know what sort of privileged life you come from thinking you can apologize and all of your problems go away, but you're in my world now and people like me don't take hostages. If you were on my mountain, I would have skinned you alive for your stupidity. No one as blind as you should be looking through a scope at all. According to Rick, Daryl was smiling when he was walking toward the farm. And last I checked, walkers didn't smile."

"Please, it really was an accident."

"I won't kill you, but even if Daryl forgives you I'll be watching every move you people make. Just remember that." You flick your wrist and the knife soared through the air, hitting a squirrel and pinning it to a tree with deadly accuracy. Andrea's eyes widened before she began to shake in front of you. The word  _please_  dripping from her lips repeatedly. You're petty, you really are. One quick movement and you dropped her with a forearm shoved into her chest and sweeping your leg under her feet. Andrea hit the ground hard before you knocked her out with a single punch. Standing tall and feeling devilish, you cast an innocent look over to where Daryl sat gawking at you.

"What? You're part of our pack. Anyone who hurts you, deals with me. That simple, Dreamy Blue.”

A cute blush flashed on Daryl's face, causing the tips of his ears to redden. Rick came over after hearing the commotion, holding your gear in his outstretched hands. He gave you that  _dad look_  of his and shook his head. "Are you going to be a problem, Y/N?"

"Nah, I'll behave. Promise."

He wasn't buying it anymore than Daryl believed your innocent doe eyes.

_**Daryl~** _

Y/N changed into her gear after Rick carried an unconscious Andrea away from his camp. She didn't bother to hide or anything, but he looked away anyhow. It wasn't like Daryl thought of himself as a gentleman, but he wanted to respect her privacy. He wanted to prove that he was worthy of being part of her group just as much, if not more, than he felt he wanted to be part of Rick's. Y/N was different than the others, she understood what it was like to be helpless and fighting for a second of peace.

She didn't know it, but Daryl already considered her an ally. Maybe one day, a friend. He didn't trust easy, especially after the group had handcuffed Merle to the roof of a building and left him to rot. Sure, a few of them went back to save him, but why should he be left without his brother just because they didn't know what he was really like? Daryl had seen the better half of Merle more than they had. They just didn't understand. He hated Merle for leaving him behind, but he was his brother and that meant something. Family meant something to the Dixon brothers. Y/N would probably like Merle. She seemed to take people as they were, without all of the fake bullshit everyone still tried to hide behind. Nah, she was the type to hand his brother a knife knowing he would most likely put in her back. And she would accept that.

Y/N made a family out of whoever needed her most. She talked about the humans she met on her travels, but always ended the stories before she really explained what happened to cause her to leave. She always ended things with 'and that's how humans are', which didn't really mean shit. But he didn't press her. Daryl wanted to know more, but he knew he didn't like when people went poking at his past any more than she did. Y/N had stood up for him, put herself between him and death more times now than anyone else had in his life.

Watching her floor Andrea just for not apologizing in the way she thought was fitting for the situation, had stunned Daryl. He didn't know how to feel, what to accept, or anything...but he knew that he would do the same for her. Daryl would put himself in the line of fire -heck, he'd jump into the fire itself to keep her safe. Y/N wasn't going anywhere if he had anything to do with it. And if she did, he was following her.

"They took the pretty necklace I made you," she said suddenly as she prepared the squirrel she killed with the knife. He grunted as usual, wishing he had the social skills to hold a conversation with her. She was smart and it made him feel intimidated, even if he would never admit it. He was impressed that she didn't squeal or shudder as she butchered her kill. Even more impressed when she didn't even bother to cook it before biting into the meat that was still raw on the bone.

She looked up, catching his eye, and blushed. "Don't have much use for manners now a days."

"Makes no difference ta' me anyhow."

She tossed some meat to Tekah, offered some of the raw squirrel to Daryl -who accepted it without blinking an eye-, and then cooked the rest for Sophia. He chewed more carefully than he usually would have, trying to stay clean and not embarrass himself even though she didn't seem to mind much. Carol came by before sunset to take Sophia over to where the others camped. Sophia wanted to stay, he could see it in her eyes, but she didn't want to upset her mother so she walked away.

"She'll be fine."

"How do ya' know that? I trust some of 'em, but these people ain't the best at keepin' an eye on kids." He remembered the countless times Lori had been searching for Carl since he met them. Half the time he wondered how the kid had survived without Shane even back before the world changed. He didn't like the guy, hell he hated Shane, but he was a better dad to Carl than his own father had been to him and Merle. It took a lot for a man to take care of a kid that wasn't his. And Daryl just knew that the group would explode when Rick realized Shane and Lori had been a thing when everyone thought Rick was dead.

"Sophia will be fine because we'll make sure she is."

He stayed quiet for a little longer until he couldn't bear it. "We gonna talk 'bout what Shane did ta ya'?"

"He didn't do anything I didn't expect him to do, Daryl. I'm used to people like him pushing me around, beating on me, and taking what they want. Told him the truth, but he wouldn't listen, so I entertained myself by pissing him off. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Ya' sure 'bout that?"

"What are getting at Dixon?" she asked dryly. Her eyes glared at him over the small fire she built to cook for Sophia.

"Wanna tell me why ya' hid behind Shane when ya' saw me and Rick?"

_**You~** _

His question came out so quiet you barely heard him. But the hurt in his eyes said he was thinking the worst of the situation and you couldn't handle that look in those blue eyes of his. You swallowed what little pride you had left for the day and answered honestly. More honestly than you would have answered anyone else if they asked.

"I didn't want you to look at me with disgust in your eyes like everyone else. I didn't want to see pity or questions. I didn't want you to think that I was weak or..." You hated the hiccup that broke your words. You hated how your vision blurred until you looked away from his face, unable to let him see you cry. Daryl Dixon's crystal gaze made you feel vulnerable and you didn't like it.

He must have felt you pulling away from him as his arm shot out, hand gripping your arm tighter than he was aware. You didn't know if it was to steady you or to steady him, but the two of you froze nonetheless. It was the first time you and Daryl had touched one another that wasn't a means of survival. This wasn't you helping him walk or stitching up a wound, it was Daryl keeping you where he wanted you: right in front of him. Your heartbeat quickened as Daryl's other hand brushed the tears from your dirty cheeks.

You flinched, not from his touch, but because you had forgotten about the bruises and cuts from Shane's interrogation. Anger darkened his eyes and you let it fester. Daryl would need that anger when his group finally faced those who would slit their throats without a second thought. Instinct had you pressing your hand to the scar on your neck.

_Hot, scarlet liquid pooled between your fingers. Bright, manufactured fixtures showered you in man-made light, burning your eyes. You couldn't scream in anger. You laid on the cold ground, choking on the coppery taste of your own blood, waiting to die._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A Blessing In Disaster is part one of a trilogy that is in the works.


	7. Fire Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few days after the Andrea incident, things get a little tense.

**You~**

_Rough hands that once held you with love now pressed you into the dirty floor of a garage, half of your torso was beneath the body of a Ford pickup. Your pants were bunched up around your knees as the skin on your thighs scraped against the ground with each thrust. You felt sweat dripping onto your back in the hot summer afternoon. The smell of motor oil, cigarette ashes in a Mountain Dew can, and the repulsive odor of your uncle’s armpits swirled about in the musty air._

_Everyone knew not to disturb him while he was working on his truck. His sweat smelled of meat and stale beer. Grunts and shudders came in hot puffs of his sour breath against your ear. You learned long ago not to cry or make any sounds. He wasn’t the only one. He wasn’t the first and he wasn’t the last, either. Those who found comfort in your destruction passed you around since you were five years old._

_You dreamt of your escape. You hoped for death or that the God your aunt preached about would come save you, but you knew to stop dreaming of a future. So, you lay there with your eyes open and unblinking, looking through the crack at the bottom of the garage door. You see children laughing and chasing their dogs as their fathers call them inside for dinner. The neighbors who smiled at your family each day and knew nothing of the horrors that took place beyond the walls of your home._

_And that was how things stayed..._

**_Daryl~_ **

He woke up on the opposite side of the tent, pressed against the thin wall to put as much distance between himself and Y/N as he could. It drove him crazy, the clean smell of her skin and the soft breaths he heard as she slept. Suddenly, those breathy sighs turned into labored gasps that rattled in her chest. That was fear. Daryl turned toward her and saw her white-knuckled grip fisted in the fabric of the sleeping bag that covered the floor of his tent.

Her back was arch and her face was damp with a cold sweat, mouth pulled open wide in a silent scream. Daryl began to panic. He didn't know how to comfort Y/N or how to wake her up without causing her more fear. He felt desperate, glacier blue eyes looking upon her writhing figure in confusion. No one had ever helped him through his nightmares, so he was lost. But he wanted to help. Several more minutes passed before Y/N's body went limp. He didn't think she was aware that tears slithered down her nose as her face was turned toward him. Instinct had Daryl reaching out drying them, trying to save her the embarrassment when she woke up.

Daryl could hear the group start their morning chores, so he would be expected to go on the hunt. He didn't want to be back out in the woods for several hours a day, everyday, on his own. Or maybe Y/N would go with. She twitched slightly before blinking those big Y/E/C eyes at him, causing him to hold his breath at the unwavering trust he saw there. It made him uncomfortable. Daryl growled in his chest and sat up to unravel the bandage on his head, but had his hands slapped away.

Y/N scrunched up her nose at the sight of his tank top. "That thing is making my skin itch," she chuckled. Her voice was still a little husky from her fitful sleep and he wondered what she had been dreaming about. "I can make you a few new ones."

"Whatcha mean?"

"Well, I made my own gear out of scraps of things I found while traveling like I said. So, If you won't take the other gear I offered and you don't like accepting the clothing your group picks up on runs, then I can just make you your own clothing. Simple."

Daryl scowled at Y/N. Why was she so nice? What did she want? "Nah, I'm good with this."

Y/N rolled her eyes, running her fingers through her hair and smirking at him. "Well, you look good, that's for sure."

After a few minutes of staring at each other until he blushed and looked away, they crawled out of the tent to prepare for the day’s work. Rick walked over as Y/N tucked her blades into their sheaths, a warm smile on his face that Daryl knew she wouldn’t trust. He could tell by the way her hand never strayed far from her hip or how her gaze constantly searched for her bow.

“Mornin’, thought I’d come out here and ask how you wanted to contribute to the group before I assigned jobs.”

Both Daryl and Rick waited for her answer.

“Don’t mean to brag, but I’m sort of the most experienced person here, right? I mean, I’ve been all over this country hunting, running, salvaging, and surviving with just me and Tekah. So, If I can make a suggestion…”

Rick smiled again and nodded his head.

“I’d like to request that you and your fuck-faced partner give _Barbie and friends_  a few lessens on how to use a firearm safely. You know, so what happened to Daryl doesn’t happen to anyone else. If you guys are going to keep the guns, might not want them in the hands of people without a steady aim.” Y/N nodded toward Carl who Lori had discovered with a gun the day before. Daryl admired her ability to make Rick feel like her ideas were his and smiled in secret.

She would have his group wrapped around her pretty little finger in no time and he was curious to see how things ended.

Y/N and Rick exchanged more words than Daryl cared to keep track of, so he left them to it as he wandered into the woods. Tekah must have grown tired of the talking too, following Daryl with an eagerness to get away from people. He knew just how the mutt felt.

**_You~_ **

You didn’t want to, but you overheard the gossip among the group. If the safety of your new pack wasn’t dependent on these people, you really wouldn’t pay much attention. You wanted so badly to follow Daryl into those woods and get lost in the trees.

But here you were, rolling your eyes as Hershel read the bible over lunch again or overhearing Dale and Lori’s conversation about her being pregnant. Shit. You’d bet money that tall, dark, and hits-like-a-girl was the father. It was hopeless. Each time they seemed to make progress, someone’s dumb decision set the entire group back ten steps. It wasn’t fair to the people who actually wanted to survive.

These poor, witless people had no idea what waited out in the real world. Walkers were the least of their problems. You wanted to warn them about Terminus, Negan, that damn dork with the eye patch, and the other groups of humans you had come across in your travels, but no one gave you that warning.

No one fought beside you, they left you for dead, and you would be surprised if half of this group even made it off the farm. There was a dark energy hidden beneath the happy smiles of the Greene family and the sunshine that seemed too bright to be real. These people were living in a fantasy world and that was more frightening than anything.

You were, however, grateful when Rick took your advice and he and Ass-hat-Shane started teaching the infants how to shoot. But every time you heard a gun go off, your face grew pale and your hands began to tremble. Even the much-needed touch of Daryl’s hand on your arm couldn’t pull you out of your panic attack.

A hand at the center of your back forced your head between your knees. When had you moved? You didn’t know, but you knew it was Daryl and that seemed to help. His voice barely broke through the waves of terror that consumed you, but what you heard would have made you laugh any other time. This was why you didn't like to leave your mountain. It was simple up there.

“…Com’on princess, don’t ya’ go tappin’ out on me now. I ain’t gonna be the only one guttin’ these damn squirrels.”

The nickname came out in a whisper, but it still caused you to roll your eyes even in the midst of losing your mind. Tekah’s nose pressed against your knee as Daryl finally lifted your head with a gentle grip on your chin and forced you to meet his eyes.

You were lost to him. “Breathe in slowly and hold it for a few seconds. There ya’ go, ain’t that better already? Now, breathe out. Nah, not all at once! Ya’ stupid er somethin’? Slow, damn it.”

Your eyes turned to see the group practicing at the shooting range stop and stare at the two of you, but Darly tugged your chin in a warning. Obedience was something you lost when the world changed, but you found yourself turning back to Daryl.

**_Daryl~_ **

Back at his tent, Daryl and Y/N prepped the squirrels for the group. He tossed the scraps to Tekah as well as two possums, having bonded during their time on the hunt together. Although it had been silent, there was a sense of peace between Daryl and the wolf. A newfound respect had begun to simmer.

But coming back and finding Y/N looking as though she had seen a ghost? Well, it brought out a side of Daryl he didn’t know he had. Protective was one thing, but possessive was another. He saw the look in Shane’s eyes before he even broke through the trees. They never left Y/N through his entire militarized speech on gun safety. There was lust in there that made him want to howl like Tekah.

Y/N wouldn’t give Shane the time of day. But he was disappointed in his group for just standing there and watching her fall apart. Weren’t Rick and Shane cops before all of this? Why couldn’t they see she had been abused? It was obvious to Daryl, but clearly to no one else.

Y/N was good at hiding it, but not that good.

“Why ya’ scare a guns?” Daryl groused. “Never seen ya’ so outta it before. Ain’t no use in ya’ lyin’ neither.”

“I used to love hunting, a big fan of the classic Winchester rifles and the colt revolvers. If I wasn’t so much of a damn pirate, I’d fancy myself a cowgirl in another life,” she muttered, winking at Daryl with a tempting smile –a facade he recognized. “But Tekah and I came across a hoard while crossing a bridge in Pittsburgh, I mean it had to have been a thousand walkers at once. We were hiding under a van, my hand clamping his mouth shut so he didn’t give away our position. And then some idiot hiding in a car fired a shotgun out of nowhere and I screamed.”

Daryl couldn’t imagine a hoard that big. Sure, the group had faced off with large clusters of walkers before, but never anything bigger than a few dozen at the most.

“The walkers flipped over the van and we were forced to fight. It was the closest I had ever come to losing Tekah. We were overwhelmed, seeing the end in sight.” Y/N's eyes looked distant as she spoke.

“My daggers were covered in blood, my arrows were depleted, and I heard Tekah yelp. For a minute, I just wanted to fall onto my back and let it happen. But when I was about to give up and end it all, I saw an opening. I kicked back the closest walker, picked up Tekah, and jumped over the side of the bridge into the river.”

**_You~_ **

As usual, sleep over the next few nights did not come easy. But that morning brought a conflict you didn’t think you were prepared to deal with. The chickens clucked somewhere on the farm, footsteps sounded outside of the tent, causing you and Daryl to jump away from each other. You didn’t know when in the night you had become wrapped around each other in a tangle of limbs, but that was the reality of it. You smiled at him and gave a little wink that made him punch you in the arm. Feigning injury, you pouted at Daryl.

He snorted, but unzipped the tent at the sound of Rick’s voice. “Sorry to wake you, but I have a few things to help Hershel with and I'd like it if two of our best fighters were protecting the group."

Rick knew. You didn’t know how or why, but you could tell by the way his face contorted into a false smile that he was aware of Lori and Shane. Daryl looked clueless at the moment you gave Rick a sympathetic pat on the arm. As you walked, he explained everything that happened while you and Daryl were out hunting away from the group.

Lori had told Shane about being pregnant, you knew that much. You didn’t, however, expect her to try and take the abortion pills just to conceal her affair with the caveman. Rick deserved better than finding out about the affair that way, even if you didn’t know him all that well. The way the group trusted him said something, even if you thought them turning on Shane –for all of his asshole tendencies- was bullshit. He had kept them safe long before Rick arrived and they had dropped him for a shiny new toy. If that was how they showed loyalty, you'd be more choosey with who you gave yours to.

Rick left to help Hershel with something, leaving the group just above boiling point.

That morning continued to surprise you when Dale informed you and Daryl that while the two of you had been away for the past few days, Glenn announced to the group that Hershel kept a collection of walkers in the barn. Daryl cursed loudly when Carol admitted that Rick had left to help Hershel gather walkers so that the group could continue to stay at the farm. It wasn’t worth it, even if Hershel’s reasons broke your heart a little. Sophia looked up at you and Daryl who were standing away from everyone else. She ran to you when the group grew agitated. Carol also came to stand beside the two of you as you lifted Sophia into your arms, knowing she was seeking the comfort you always provided in the face of danger.

With Rick gone, Shane took it as an opportunity to rally the group. He passed out guns and fired everyone up about doing something about the walkers. Most of them were on board with the idea. Chaos ensued when Rick returned with Hershel, escorting several walkers with ketch poles around their necks. Shane open fired on one of the walkers to prove that they weren’t just sick people as Hershel wanted to believe. You wanted to punch Shane, but not because of what he revealed or how he acted. No- you wanted to punch him for shooting a gun that could attract more walkers.

Tekah began to growl until Daryl pulled him back. But Daryl tensed at your side, knowing something bad was about to happen. Shane threw open the barn doors and the group unloaded on the walkers like a firing squad. When each and every walker was slaughtered, smoke curled from the ends of their guns as Beth’s distraught cries pierced the silence.


	8. Flash Back - A Moment With You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SO MUCH FLUFF...This chapter goes over what happened on the hunt between you and Daryl. The hunt was briefly mentioned in the previous chapter, but I never elaborated on what occurred while you were away.

_**Daryl~** _

_She ran through the woods, the sound of her feet pounding against the ground like a war drum. Her hood firmly in place, but the mask was pulled down to show off the impish smile she threw over her shoulder at him. Daryl raced after her, Tekah falling in stride beside him, as they followed her with blind adoration. Something in the wilds possessed him. He was a beast more so than a man and he was on the hunt. She goaded him, climbing up trees and forcing him to give chase. He loved it. Daryl smiled wider than he ever had in his life, cheeks hurting as his eyes danced with light._

_The smell of mint and orange from her breakfast stained the wind as she ran. Her voice rang out as she recited poetry he had never heard before as well as her favorite lines from the books she read as a child, excited when he recognized a few. Y/N could quote those stuffy British poets as beautiful as Dr. Seuss and Winnie The Pooh, which made his smile brighten even more._

_They were free in those moments, able to be as loud as they wished, knowing Tekah would sense danger if it was near. Being loud and enjoying someone else's company without the fear of judgement was new to him._

_But it was when she sang -neither good nor bad, but openly- that he felt the earth shift beneath his feet. Tekah answered with a quiet howl as though he sang along with her. Daryl wanted to unleash that part of him that she called to the forefront, but he was still scared that his father or Merle would appear out of thin air. She was like a witch and he was her puppet._

_And Daryl didn’t mind being enchanted, if only for a while._

_For once, a rare breeze was on his side, pushing off the hood that covered the parts of her face that he ached to see. Her steps slowed, crouching low, and allowing him to come to her side finally. She reached up and unraveled the bandage from his head, shocking his senses as she pressed her soft lips against his temple. He could feel her smile even when he stiffened at the contact, not knowing how to respond or what to say. But words didn't need to be said._

_She lifted her arm and pointed through the underbrush, quirking her brow in a silent challenge. Daryl answered with a smirk and pushed forward quietly. Even in the joyous laughter, frolicking, and distractions, Y/N had somehow managed to track a deer. It grazed peacefully, not sensing the three predators that waited to strike. He heard the hushed tension of Y/N bow pull back just as he lifted his crossbow. Tekah lowered his belly toward the ground. The three of them breathed in perfect synchronization, watching for the moment the doe lifted her head._

_Like the calm before the storm, everything in the forest settled to watch as nature submitted to the will of their thunderous fire._

**_You~_ **

_Patience was something that always impressed you. But Daryl seemed to have enough patience that would make a monk want to punch him in the face. His tongue darted out to wet his lips, drawing your eyes to his slightly parted mouth as he breathed calmly. You swallowed past the lump that formed in your throat, suddenly finding it hard to breathe._

_It was like each time he inhaled, it stole the air from your lungs._

_The silence was suddenly deafening. “Do you feel that?”_

_“Huh?”_

_“There’s something…happening with us, Daryl. I don’t know what it is, hell I’m scared to even think about it. But I wanted to kill Andrea for hurting you. It usually takes a lot for me to…lose control, but when I saw you bleeding on the ground, it changed me.”_

_You looked down to where your hands tangled in end of your cloak, picking at the threads nervously. “When it comes to you, I don’t know what I’m capable of. I thought I saw it all and survived everything this world could subject me to, but I hadn’t expected to find you in all of this. I didn’t expect to feel so …confused.”_

_“Whattcha sayin’, Y/N?” he asked, looking just as nervous as you felt. Daryl followed each of your movements with uncanny precision as he sliced open the deer at his feet._

_“What I’m sayin’ is,” you mocked teasingly. “I want you to know that I’ve been through a lot, not all of it was my choice, but I’ve never pursued anything with anyone. I’m not the sort of person who wants things or…wants someone, but I need you Daryl. I don’t know what that means yet, I really don’t. But I feel like I would lose what’s left of me if you weren’t here.”_

_“I ain’t dyin’, Y/N. Stop talkin’ like that.”_

_“I’m not just talking about death, Daryl. So many people have betrayed me and I never thought I would trust again, but here I am. Taking you at your word and trusting you –not the group, you. I’m trusting you not to let me down like everyone else.”_

_You pierced him with a look that matched his intensity, giving him the same observing stare that made you shiver. It forced him to break eye contact, but only for a few seconds. Daryl didn’t like to be challenged like this, even if it was necessary for the conversation. Both of you would have preferred to hide and not acknowledge what had started to grow between you the instant you laid eyes on each other. It would be easier._

_But you weren’t an easy person._

_“I ain’t gonna lettcha down, Cupcake.”_

_“I’ll hold you to that, Dreamy Blues.”_

_**Daryl~** _

_Like the two nights before, he wandered back to the tent while Y/N and Tekah established a parameter around the farm. She didn’t care about the fence or what Rick and Shane did for security; Y/N only trusted those she allowed in her pack. It seemed so simple to place his safety in their hands, even when he barely gave Rick and the others a moment of his time. Daryl very rarely shared his opinion except for when he was being a jackass to somebody, so the sincerity of her conversation had him shutting down again._

_He didn’t want to shut her out, but it was safer that way, right?_

_She made him have hope and that was dangerous, especially with everything she started to tell him about the other survivors out there. The scars on her body were a testament to the things she had overcome and it made him feel worthless knowing that his own scars were just because his father drank too much to care that he had a family to protect._

_He wasn’t a survivor. Nah, no matter how hard he tried, he was just a victim. A broken little boy searching for his brother, lying to himself about a group of people who would most likely leave him behind if anyone else more important needed the space he took up. Daryl was under no illusions of where he stood with others. He was a necessity, they needed him, and that was that._

_Y/N mentioned wanting to kill Andrea for shooting him, but it paled in comparison to the things he wanted to do to Shane for busting up her face and using her past against her. Just the sight of him sickened Daryl, making him physically ill to be anywhere near him. But Y/N kept whispering in his ear over all of the rare shared meals, telling him to “bide his time”, whatever that was supposed to mean._

_He was so lost in his own mind that he didn’t hear her approach the tent. She unzipped the flap and leaned into his personal space to crawl inside, but something wouldn’t let him move. Even though his skin crawled at the thought of someone touching him, Daryl wanted her to brush past him as she lay down._

_“Everythin’ alright out there?” he asked more roughly than he intended, mentally cursing himself for not using softer words._

_As always, she didn’t take it personally, understanding what he wanted to say more than he did. “Looks good, but ass-face is going to have to fix up some loose boards in the fence.”_

_Daryl couldn’t help but chuckle at the many creative nicknames she had given Shane since their little interrogation. The feeling he felt in the woods returned as she rested her head against the palm of her hand and faced him. He wondered if it was the forest or the tent that was their bubble of freedom, a safe place where they could be who they wanted to be, or if it was just **her**._

_As usual, Daryl stayed to his side of the tent and she stayed to hers. They talked until it was so dark outside they couldn’t see the stars through the thin material of the tent. Sometimes Daryl was afraid of the dark, even if no one knew it, and he usually slept with a little lantern glowing inside of the tent. But he knew Y/N had trouble sleeping unless it was completely dark._

_He remembered her saying, “If I open my eyes in the middle of the night, I don’t have to remember where I am. Once I realize that I’m not in pain, I can just drift back to sleep and forget again.”_

_Whatever happened to her before all of this had to be really bad if she saw the outbreak as a miracle. He didn’t fault her reasons and he some part of him understood her views on things, but Daryl wanted Y/N to find a reason to live. He was no stranger to self-harm, using pain to keep you grounded, but suicide was different._

_Suicide didn’t just end the pain; it ended everything –the good and the bad. He wanted to give her something good and hoped that the memories they shared away from prying eyes was enough to keep her going. Daryl didn’t want a world where Y/N wasn’t in it._

_In his sleep, he was unaware that he had pulled Y/N closer to his body. He tucked her head beneath his chin and wrapped around her, protecting her from whatever wanted to do her harm. And when her arms snaked around his waist, he released a sigh of relief that neither of them were conscious of. It felt natural and safe, even when both Daryl and Y/N had shunned physical contact._

_That night, they shared a moment of bliss. A few hours of sleep untainted by the monsters of their pasts or fear for what the morning would bring. Only there, in the dark where he clung to her in his sleep, did Daryl feel enough courage to return the kiss she had placed on his temple. There she lay in his arms, her thumb brushing back and forth over the pale flesh exposed at the nape of his neck. The warmth of her breath tickled his chest, but still he held her as though she were the most precious thing he had ever laid eyes on. And in a way, she was._

_She was like the surface of a mirror that had been cracked, but not fully broken. In her Y/E/C eyes reflected the things he tried to burry within himself. The special, genuine smile she saved only for the moments they were alone was what made Daryl want to be a better person. It would take time, but he believed they were changing each other whether they wanted to or not._

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not promote self-harm nor suicidal tendencies. This story is part of my own journey with depression, anxiety, and PTS. If you need help, there are resources out there for you. You are not alone and you are loved.
> 
> Never stop fighting.


	9. When The Saints Go Marching In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You get a little fed up with the group and have no problem tearing into Shane when he's acting like a spoiled brat.

_**You~** _

Since the incident at the barn with Hershel's brothel of walkers, there had been too many funerals and too many strangers shooting at the group lately for your tolerance to be anything other than non-existent. Hell, you had saved Beth from killing herself after watching the walker version of her mother get shot down by Rick and his band of gun-wielding camp counselors. You felt for Beth, you really did, but you also knew the difference between a real suicide attempt from a bullshit one.

Daryl hadn’t talked to you in days, but you knew he had taken on the task of brutally interrogating Randall about his group who had allegedly raped a few girls and done some other less-than-savory things. Maybe it was because of the time you spent with Negan or your own experiences with non-consensual sex, but you didn’t understand why it had even been up for debate on whether or not he should die. Guilty by association, right? The world has proven that to be anything but false so far and you weren’t completely sure Randall hadn’t been involved. There was no way of being sure. You just wanted it over and it was, apparently Randall had ran from Shane and got turned into a walker...or something like that.

Yeah, this week had been a mind-fuck. One of the only people you liked and trusted in the group got killed. A walker had attacked Dale because Lori couldn’t keep an eye on the kid she already had running around.

That night, after everything else that happened over the week, you couldn’t allow Daryl to pull the trigger and end Dale’s life. You took the gun out of his hand and dismissed the group so you could end his pain without the people he cared for having to witness the bloodshed. You cried for Dale, he was a sweet man. But after all of the classroom debates, fun little torture sessions in the barn, and burying the bodies of people that truly had deserved better, you wanted to shoot someone -but you couldn't decide between Lori, Shane, or Andrea. It really was a clusterfuck if you did say so yourself. 

That being said….

If Sophia hadn’t crawled into the tent while Daryl slept in his shut-off corner of the space, you wouldn’t have been poised in the dark with an arrow aimed at Rick and Shane. You gave them enough time to talk things out, but the growing tension put you on edge. If Sophia hadn’t begged you to stop the people she cared about from ruining the little family she had grown to love, you would not have released the arrow and knocked the knife out of Rick’s hand before he could stab Shane. You highly doubted either of them was aware that Carl was watching the entire thing with a gun in his possession.

_Ladies and gentleman, we ask that you turn your attention toward Rick and Lori. They are the parents of the fucking decade._

Honestly, you thought you’ve acted like a saint in the past few days. Heck, you hadn’t even killed anyone –well, minus Dale, but that was a mercy kill. You deserved a damn medal for putting up with these people. And you had to admit, seeing Shane and Andrea so close even after the news of Lori’s pregnancy made you want to lose your lunch. Barbie had hooked up with the captain of the douche-squad like it was prom night -and wasn’t that just gross? You shuddered where you still crouched before sauntering toward the two Neanderthals who almost killed each other.

“Howdy, Sheriff,” you drawled sarcastically, tipping your invisible hat in greeting. “Now, if you boys are ready to put the rulers away, I’m here to break up this little ‘my ego is bigger than yours’ contest before we lose anymore people.”

Shane took the bait, as you knew he would.

“So now you care about what happens to this group?" he laughed. "Thought you a Daryl would have run off into the sunset on your own, leaving us high and dry by now. What’s the matter, you ain’t putting out like he hoped you would?”

Of course, you also knew he would cheapen…whatever it was between you and Daryl. But that was fine. Cute even. And you could swear there was a little jealousy hidden behind the sarcasm of his tone. Eew, did Shane  _actually_ **like**  you? Blah...

“Nah, Daryl’s been nothing but a lady. It’s me chasing him, not the other way around. Honestly, I really could care less about this…lover’s quarrel between the two of you. But! I am tired of washing the blood out of my leathers every time someone around here decides they want to play leader for the day. I’ve already saved your asses from walkers and now each other. So, if you’re done screwing your best friend’s wife and banging Barbie in the woods, Shane, I’d like get at least another hour of sleep before something else happens to you drama queens.”

A gun bucked a few feet away from the three of you, sending you into a small panic as the bullet barely missed Rick and Shane. It had been an accident, telling by the shocked expression on Carl's face but.... _Damn it, Carl!_

“That’s it! No more children with guns! Throw rocks like a normal kid!”

Shane and Rick ignored your outburst as you spotted a herd of walkers moving through the woods. You grab Carl and take off toward the farm. Ya’ll were in for a fight.

_**Daryl~** _

He barely heard the high-pitch whistle cut through the night, but when Tekah’s howl came not far behind, Daryl sprang into action. Y/N’s gear was nowhere to be found, which mean she was already in the fight. He grabbed his crossbow and crawled out of the tent in time to see her running toward the group with Carl in her arms. Why couldn't Lori keep an eye on that boy? Even Merle seemed like a better babysitter at this point and that was saying something.

Daryl couldn’t hear what Y/N shouted at Lori, but by the way Lori’s face paled –it wasn’t anything good. Hell, for days Y/N had been on edge and it was mostly his fault. He shouldn’t have shut her out and he regretted it the instant a walker nearly took her down. His heart stopped beating and everything went in slow motion until she plunged the end of her blade into the top of the walker’s head. Everywhere he turned walkers appeared.

He was distracted between watching Carol –who had always treated him like a son-, Sophia, Tekah, Y/N, and everyone else. Daryl was nearly bitten by a greasy looking walker. The skin on the thing's face melted against his hand as he tried to push it away while reaching for a weapon with the other. A gasping puff of foul gas make his stomach turn. The walker's guts were falling out of a hole in its belly. Tekah shoved the walker off and wrestled it the ground so Daryl could get free, but the wolf knew better than to bite too hard because Y/N wasn’t sure how the virus could affect animals. He aimed his crossbow, but couldn’t get a clear shot without risking Tekah. She had lost too much, he wasn't taking her companion away from her.

He pulled a bolt out of his crossbow, pushed Tekah over, and plunged it into the wiggling walker’s head until it went limp. Daryl crawled back to his feet. They were losing the farm. He looked back to see Y/N standing on top of the house with a flaming arrow in her bow, releasing it, and setting the barn on fire to draw the bulk of the biters away. After everything they attempted to build, despite Y/N’s insistence that the group not settle in one spot without more protection, walkers overran the Greene farm. His eyes scanned the fray, looking for Y/N once again as the group fought off the dead. Beth, Lori, and T-dog were pushed into a car with the children by a shadowy figure. It was her. Daryl knew it was her. He ran toward Y/N only to see Patricia get attacked by walkers while trying to escape. Rick and a few others drove off in Dale's RV. He was separated from the group, everyone scattered as they struggled to survive. Daryl was able to pull Carol onto his motorcycle and abandon everything, but vowing to return for Y/N and Tekah. They didn’t know how many were lost or killed, but he would be back for his pack.

_**You~** _

Watching Daryl’s motorcycle disappear into the night, you tried to ignore the sensation of the frost around your heart thickening into ice. He wouldn’t come back, you were sure. That was the last you would ever see of Daryl Dixon and his dreamy blue eyes. He hadn’t even spared a glance over his shoulder, but what did you expect? It wasn’t as though he could wait for you and  _that damn mutt_  while the people he actually cared about were run down by walkers.

You wanted him to be safe. You wanted Sophia to be safe, too. But there was that Negan voice in your mind that told you not to grow attached to people who weren’t strong enough to survive. Sure, your relationship with Negan could have been boiled down to Stockholm syndrome and desperation, but he taught you lessons more valuable than you could place a price on. He was your first love and your greatest fear. He was the man who knew your past and had seen the darkest depths of your soul. But beside that voice that had kept you safe and sane for so long, was the memories that you and Daryl had made. You looked back on the day he had chased you through the woods playfully as you tempted him like a nymph from mythos.

The sight of that smile spreading across his handsome face had been your undoing. If what you had felt for Negan had been love, whatever you felt for Daryl made a mockery of that love. He was everything you wanted and everything you couldn't have. Not just because he wouldn't let you, but also because  _you_  wouldn't let it happen. Daryl Dixon was a weakness you couldn't afford. So, as you and Tekah escaped into the woods, you shut out those beautiful stolen memories with the silent crossbow-wielding archer. Your mind ran through the things that kept you going: the pain, the trauma, and the betrayals. There were enemies out there; people you knew would defile Rick and his group without an ounce of remorse. Hell, Simon on his own could take out the group with no problem and for some reason that made you feel...responsible.

Now that they had come to rely on your hunting and fighting skills to stay alive, whatever happened to them now was on you. Without wanting to, saving all of their lives had made them part of your pack. Not even with the first few groups who persuaded you to help them, had you accepted their help in return -understanding that people weren't capable of compassion without expecting payment. But, despite their flaws and the many headaches you suffered listening to their complaining, you had come to rely on Rick's group. It was a startling thought…

 Tekah stopped. He refused to move. Great.

“What now? We have to keep moving?” you asked like a crazy person, but you already knew.

1.) Wolves can’t talk, psycho.

2.) Wolves are pack animals and now that you gave Tekah a pack, he wants it back.

3.) The broken needed you. Daryl, Sophia, Carol, and the others who had lost their power to forces beyond their control, needed you.

Growls came seconds after Tekah howled out a warning. Shit. You were gonna miss Daryl.

**_Daryl~_ **

The sun came up, but it was anything but a good morning. Everyone gathered at the spot on the freeway where the search for Sophia had started. It was the place they had returned to each day in hopes to find the girl after she had disappeared. But Daryl didn’t want to sit here and discuss what should happen next. He knew what should happen next. He was going after Y/N and he wasn't going to listen to anyone argue with him on it anymore.

"She's gone," Rick insisted. "We need to move."

"Good. Bitch should've left a long time ago," Shane snapped.

"She's probably dead, Daryl," someone else said. Hell, he stopped listening. Y/N wouldn't leave him behind and he wouldn't abandon her to be on her own again when he was the one who convinced her to leave the mountain. Nah, she wasn't dead and the next person who said otherwise would be lying dead in a pool of their own blood. No one could kill Y/N but Y/N and that was a fact. He wasn't delusional, he wasn't blind. Daryl Dixon was something a lot more dangerous. He was pissed.

Shouts rang out behind him as he stormed over to his bike. They were just noise on the wind as far as he was concerned, unwilling to listen to anymore of their bitching while Y/N was out there somewhere. Tekah would keep her safe, but the wolf could only do so much against a herd of walkers. Looking down at his feet, afraid the tears in his eyes would fall if he looked up, Daryl nearly plowed someone over. A lump of black fabric flashed in his vision before collapsing into his arms. He felt hot liquid seep through the fabric of his shirt and soak his pants. Blood.

Y/N trembled in his arms, her Y/E/C eyes staring up at his face as though she was trying to memorize every feature. He didn't like the look of acceptance there, like she could die happy now that she saw him one last time. Tekah whimpered, but otherwise looked unharmed. The blood matting his coat was obviously from her. Daryl lowered her to the ground, yelling out for Hershel. She couldn't die. Like he said, no one could kill Y/N but Y/N. But even as he searched in his mind for a reason to believe, there was so much blood that he couldn't stop those damn tears from falling any longer.

"Tha hell were ya' thinkin' leavin' my side?!"

No wiseass joke or sarcastic smirk on her shivering lips.

"I was comin' back ta' gittcha, Y/N. Wasn't gonna leave ya' behind!"

She looked at him and finally smiled. But it tore open his chest and exposed his heart as a tear rolled down the side of her face, getting lost in her hair. "Those damn dreamy blues," she whispered before her eyes rolled back into her head.


	10. Confessions In The Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You struggle to wake up after the Greene Farm is overrun by walkers, but Daryl makes a confession that just might change everything between you.

_**Daryl~** _

It's been three weeks since Daryl and his group cleared out a cellblock at the prison while Y/N was unconscious in the back of one of the cars. She had a concussion, broken ribs, a twisted ankle, and a cut so deep on her side that Hershel didn't think she would make it. Y/N had damn near become a walker and it was all his fault. He should have kept her close and never pushed her away. He almost lost her forever when he knew damn well she would have walked away fine if she didn't have to watch out for his group. They should have done more, it shouldn't have been just her trying to keep everyone safe. It was bad enough that Rick had been keeping what the doctor at the CDC told him a secret and then Hershel had said that Y/N might be in some sort of coma.

It was a way for her body to heal itself, he understood that. But he knew she didn't like feeling trapped and if she was in that beautiful head of hers reliving her memories, Daryl didn't want her to be alone when she woke up. So, he set Y/N up in his cell on the floor like she would have preferred while he and Tekah kept watch. Every day the group rotated responsibilities at the prison, but by now it was all muscle memory. Sophia helped take care of Y/N and so did Maggie, but Daryl never let anyone tend to the bandages or get close enough to see her scars. She wouldn't like for people to look at her scars.

Even though the wounds on her body were almost healed, Y/N had yet to wake up. The trauma must have been a lot, but from what she told him, she had survived much worse than this. Hell, some psycho group slit her throat and she still fought her way out of that. So she can pull through this. _This ain't shit, she'll be_ alright, he thought. It was one of those rare nights when he crawled onto the floor and held her close. Maybe it was more for him than it was for her, but Daryl couldn't stand not hearing her smart ass mouth giving him orders or hearing her piss off Shane. He also hadn't spoken much since arriving at the prison, feeling like it unfair that he could talk and she couldn't.

Daryl pressed his lips to her temple as she had done to him so casually in the woods. He would like to think that it was these moments that kept her fighting. Y/N liked him, that was obvious to everyone with eyes. But could he let down his walls far enough to let someone crawl over? Or was he much like the prison they all lived in now? Footsteps came closer and closer to his cell, heavy boots scuffing on the ground. Daryl grumbled lowly, but pulled away and stood up to check who wanted to disturb Y/N in the  middle of the night. He pulled back the makeshift door made out of an old bed sheet and was met by Shane.

"She alright?" he asked, peeking past Daryl's shoulder.

Daryl said nothing, just stared.

"We still haven't found Andrea or some of the others, so Rick and I decided we should stop riskin' the people we have left to search. Sooner or later, someone's gonna find this prison and we're gonna have to defend it. No more mistakes like back at the farm."

Daryl squinted his eyes, but remained silent.

"Look, I'm tryin' to get my head in the game. And hell, I never thought I'd say this...but I miss her too. No one kept at me like she did and I respect her, I really do. She's a damn good fighter and she knows what she's talking about most of the time. And if you haven't noticed, we don't have much of that around here. We need someone who's gonna call this group out on their shit, Daryl. So if what you're doin' is working, then I want you to take a few days off. I'll cover your shift in the watchtower."

Daryl grunted.

Shane nodded his head and walked away, finally leaving the three of them alone. Daryl crawled back on the floor beside Y/N and whispered in her ear. "Ya' need ta' wake up, Cupcake. Didn't ya' hear what Shane said? We need ya'."

Not one twitch. He was pressed so closely up against her, just to feel her faint heartbeat, that he would have noticed if she even moved a finger. There was no hesitation in the way he held her. He didn't know if it was easier because she couldn't respond or what, but Daryl just needed to see those Y/E/C eyes again. He wanted to hear her sing songs he never heard before, but loved because she loved them. Daryl wanted his best friend back.

"I love ya, Y/N."

**_You~_ **

_The sky was was gray, backlit by a gloomy yellow light. Ghostly fog hovered above the ground of the threadbare forest. Your feet were noiseless as you ran, jumping and dodging through the woods. You were searching for something...feeling so alone, but you could feel a foreign warmth wrapped around you. Closing your eyes against the memories that threatened to unravel, a glowing set of icy blue orbs fill your mind, but who did that stare belong to? Thinking was like running through quicksand._

_"Well, shiiiitt, baby girl," a deep voice rumbled._

_Your eyes snapped open and you turned to face Negan. He was the protector of the broken and your savior. Those dark, hazel eyes peered at you from the shadows like the big bad wolf. His dashing grin and boyish dimples flashed, almost hidden beneath a salt and pepper beard. That greased back inky hair looked damp in the misty forest. Negan walked toward you with a swagger that would make anyone take notice, he walked with purpose as power oozed from every pore._

_"Thought I lost you. I did. Thought I'd never fuckin' see that beautiful ass face of yours again, girl. And that just pisses me right the fuck off that you even ran in the first place. Didn't I keep all of my promises? Didn't I keep you safe and give you a home in the middle of this shit show? This place is fuckin' creepy, doll. That melon of yours is full of some twisted shit. Still gave me a boner, though. I have to admit."_

_His smile grew tenfold, pleased with his ability to make a lewd joke._

_"I-is this a memory?" you stuttered._

_"Nope. You wanted me here, baby girl. Couldn't resist lookin' at this fine ass again 'cause you know I'm the only one who ever really kept your shit together. You needed a strong hand, just like everybody else. But you're special, sweet cheeks, I'll give you that. You don't fall easy, do you? Nope, you keep this shit so far down in the back of your head, I'm surprised you ain't one of them biters out there. But you know why I'm here, don't you?"_

_You nod your head. Of course you did. He was here to take you home to him. And part of you wanted to go._

_"I love ya', Y/N," the words came out of Negan's mouth, but that wasn't Negan's voice. Thunder roared behind your ears, causing you to drop to your knees. You began to fall through the fog as it thickened into tar._

_Negan's image began to flicker like a glitch. With one last twisted smile, he cackled, "Wake the fuck up, doll."_

**_Daryl~_ **

He was woken up by a hand gripping his hair. It didn't hurt, it just felt like someone was hanging on to him tightly. His hair had grown out quite a bit, so it wasn't hard to get a hand full of the darker strands. Daryl opened his eyes and saw Y/N clutching at the labels of his vest with one hand while the other one was curled up at the back of his head. Words failed him. He didn't know what to do or what to say, but she was moving and that was something.

Daryl rubbed soothing circles into her back like he had seen her do to Sophia. She flinched a little, but then melted into his touch like warm butter on hot toast. "Com'on, Princess. Wake ya' ass up!" He rocked her gently until the shivers subsided and she was able to open her eyes. And the sight of those Y/E/C eyes hit him like a fucking brick wall. He watched as the awareness returned to her gaze, felling her try to pull him even closer to her and he let her. "I gottcha, don't worry."

"Daryl.." she croaked.

"Nah, don't talk. I gottcha..."

A slender finger reached up and pressed against his lips. "Shh. I was having a moment."

Laughter bubbled up before he could keep it in check. Tears streamed from Daryl's eyes as he pulled her into his lap and clung to her like a viper. He didn't care that the others rushed into the doorway of his cell, thinking he had gone mad. They didn't hear the dumb shit that just came out of her mouth. God, he missed that. He missed knowing she wouldn't keep things serious and forced the two of them to actually  _think_ about what was between them.

A smile broke out on Rick's face for the first time in a while. Hell, even Shane looked happy to see Y/N up for a change. He took the moment to bait her a little, knowing she would have done the same.

"Bout time you woke your dramatic ass up. We ain't got time for slackers around here. Enough beauty sleep, Morticia Adams, or else I'll have to drag you out of here by your weird clothes and force you into the sunlight to see if you're a vampire."

Shane's dry tone summoned a cheeky chuckle from Y/N. Daryl was waiting for it. He was waiting for her comeback like he needed it to breathe. She lifted her head from his shoulder, but didn't pull away otherwise. That cocky little smirk appeared on her gorgeous face. "I'm surprised you're still alive without me there to save you, Casanova. Even half dead I'm still the better fighter."

Rick and the others laughed quietly, happy to see Y/N awake. Daryl began to get uncomfortable by the number of eyes looking down at them on the floor. He buried his face in her neck and inhaled her scent to calm his nerves. Even now she smelled like a force of nature, suddenly making him feel self-conscious about not showering for a long time. But she didn't allow him to pull away from her, she ran her fingers through his hair and placed a kiss on his forehead. Daryl blushed and hid behind the curtain of his bangs. Her other hand rubbed up and down the back of his vest.

Sensing that they were no longer part of the moment, Rick and the group left them to be alone. Out the corner of his eye, Daryl saw Carol and Maggie give him a thumbs up that just deepened the crimson flush on his cheeks.

Y/N moved until her lips were closed to Daryl's ear.

"I could hear your voice, Dreamy Blue," she whispered, sending tingles down his spine. "I kept hearing it in the darkness, trying to pierce through the other bullshit. It kept me alive. Without feeling you or hearing you, I would have let go. I was being honest when I said that I would lose what's left of me if you weren't here, Daryl. I need you and I'm scared because..."

He grunted and pulled her back so that he could look at her face while she talked. He missed seeing her eyes open.

_**You~** _

The intensity of his gaze nearly made you chicken out. But Daryl deserved to hear what you needed to say. He deserved to know that it was him and no one else that could save you. Negan had tried and you ran from him, but you didn't want to run from Daryl no matter how scared you got. No matter how  _ **real**_ things got between you and Daryl, you were holding on. For the first time in your life, you belonged to something other than just the grump wolf that guards you. You belong to Daryl.

"I love you, Daryl Dixon. I thought I could make it through this life on my own, but now that I know what I've been missing...I know I can't live without you. We can take this slow or we can leave it here in the aftermath of what could have happened and never speak of it again, but I wanted you to know that I love you."

"I ain't never loved nobody but my brother, Y/N. I ain't gonna be good at this. But if ya' want ta' be ma girl, I think I'd like that."

A dorky smile fresh out of a romantic comedy from the 90s broke out across your face. You looked like a fool, but you were Daryl's fool and you hoped he didn't mind that you were just a little weird. Before either of you could overthink or practically throw up from the amount of nerves coursing through your bodies...

You pressed your lips against his, feeling the warmth of his breath through his nose. The dry, inexperienced lips that moved beneath yours began to melt away the ice surrounding your heart. You set a rhythm the two of you were comfortable with, not forcing the situation, but allowing it to move naturally. Though he was strung tighter than your bowstring, Daryl began to feel more comfortable and let you take control. Your thumbs brushed against the stubble on his jaw.

You felt his tongue dart out and lick your lips, shocking you with a little yelp.

"M' sorry," he grumbled.

"Don't be." You pulled him toward you gently, pausing to give him time to signal if this was too much for him. In a way, it was too much for you, but you didn't want to be afraid anymore. Daryl closed the distance and you hummed into the kiss, feeling the vibrations between you. His lips were soft and welcoming, parting enough to give you entrance. You felt him shudder against you as your tongue brushed his. The rumble in his chest centered you to reality. This was real. Daryl was real.

And if you thought he would let you go after a kiss like that...well, it'd be fun to see you try.

 

 


	11. When The Tides Turn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You crack a few jokes, have a much needed conversation with Shane, and then a lot of fluff and a little steam, but no smut.

_**You~** _

The sun came up over the hills, washing the prison in a blinding light that had you shutting your eyes. After spending all of your time healing in the darkness of Daryl's cell, you really did feel like a vampire. The weight of the world felt as though it was resting on your shoulders, but that was just your own head. Since waking up, people started telling you how much they missed your wiseass remarks and stupid jokes. You never thought you had such an impact in their lives seeing as you rarely talked unless you were being a childish little brat. But it felt good, smiling as you approached Glenn, Maggie, and Carol outside in the yard.

"Hey, guys! Where's Lori's baby daddy?"

Their smiles fell, each one of them blabbering, but not really saying anything. Which, of course, had you cackling like an evil witch.

"I love that none of you know where to point. I'll go look for Shane myself," you throw over your shoulder with a wink.

Glenn laughed, Maggie swatted his arm, and Carol turned away with a knowing smile of her own. Sophia and Carl were up in the lookout with T-Dog as Rick walked along the fence that kept the walkers out. He looked deep in thought, frowning as usual, so you didn't bother him. He was no fun like that anyway. Being the problematic person that you are, you made your way over to where Shane was sharpening a machete.

"Sup, dick bag, what's crackin'?"

"Anybody ever tell you to watch your fuckin' mouth and act like a lady?" he retorted.

"Only misogynistic pricks like you, love muffin." That got a laugh out of him. A true laugh and not one of his cocky chortles that made you want to ram your elbow into his ear. Shane wasn't half bad, he just needed someone to remind him of that.

"You know, I think it was shitty that everyone pretty much abandoned you the instant Rick showed up," You admitted. "I mean, he's not a bad guy and he gives one hell of a speech. A politician if I've ever seen one. But if that's what they need out of a leader, that isn't you. You aren't a diplomat, Shane. Hell, you and I couldn't even win a high school debate without getting violent. We're fighters. And I'm sure Rick will find the fight in him around the time you and I learn how to talk to people without being assholes. Now, I can't tell you what's coming, but this group needs you."

When he gave you his signature "what the hell" expression, you elaborated a bit.

"Daryl is almost there, but he isn't on our level. He needs to find the part of him that would cut someone down without hesitation. You and I, we need to come together on this. You and Rick might have been partners in the old life, but you understand what it takes to live in this world. I noticed it in you the day we met and I need the guy who pulled a gun on his best friend on my side. These people aren't killers, they still think they can find a home and make things like they were before. But there are ruthless groups of survivors out there who won't give you enough time to scream for help before they have you strung up by your tender bits. We need soldiers ready to do what needs to be done and have the mentality to live with that burden."

"Soldiers, huh? Killers with a cause."

"Exactly," you said as you moved closer and sat beside him. "That animalistic rage that nearly blinds you when it comes crashing down is what it's all about. Armies are out there, both dead and alive. And we'll have to carve a bloody path through them all to make it out on the other side. We'll be the last ones standing. We have to be."

You pulled down the high-neck of your shirt to show him the scar around your neck, certain he hadn't really been paying attention while he was interrogating you in fields back at the farm. "One of the groups captured me. They raped people, tortured people, and lined a bunch of us up on our knees. One by one bodies dropped as their throats were slit. It was a slaughterhouse filled with a cult of cannibalistic psychopaths. Either you're recruited or you're eaten, and I thought I was dead after I felt the cold blade slide across my skin. But that rage kept me alive. I fought like a rabid animal, killing dozens of them on my way out."

Shane looked at you with a newfound respect. You understood him better than anyone else, even Rick. And you just told him something you had even kept from Daryl. Shane could see it in your eyes. He felt the same rage inside, it was a natural thing that needed years of nurturing so that it could evolve into a weapon. Both of you had carried that rage long before the world changed.

"You might not be their leader, the one to hold their hands and give them hope. But you're with me. When everyone else huddles, we listen. Stop talking so much and keep your eyes open. We work in secret to keep them safe and if we see potential in someone, we ease them into this. I have my eye on two so far."

"Daryl and Glenn?" he asked.

You nod your head and he gives you a look of approval. Before you leave, you make sure to tell him, "I'm not your leader, Shane. We're a pack, but there's no alpha among us. We're equals."

_**Daryl~** _

He returned after clearing out some walkers in the other parts of the prison, catching sight of her as she walked away from Shane. Something had changed between them. Gone was the lust or the frustration in Shane's eyes, replaced by what Daryl could only assume was loyalty. Y/N must have taken him into her pack, which gave Daryl hope that she would find a place for Merle when he found him. His brother was out there somewhere, he could feel it. And with Lori pregnant, the kids running around, and people getting killed left and right -the group needed Merle.

She smiled when she noticed him watching. A coy tilt of her lips, but it was a smile nonetheless. Daryl felt his heartbeat kick into overdrive and felt the urge to run. Whatever love was, it was terrifying. But his feet stayed rooted to where he was standing, just waiting for her as she wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest. Even as his mind screamed for him to push her away, his body wouldn't allow it. And he returned her embrace slowly.

The warmth of her breathing seeped into his shirt. "You smell good."

He snorted at that. "The others would disagree."

"Whether you showered or not, you'd always smell good to me. A little dirt never hurt anybody."

"Yeah, but ya' ain't been around when I took my boots off."

Y/N chuckled and breathed him in more. She pulled away to look up into his face, her hand lifting to brush back his bangs so she could see all of him. "You want to take a shower? Heard there's running water here."

Daryl wasn't sure what to do. He didn't want to disappoint her even though he knew she wouldn't be mad if he turned her down. Honestly, he hated bathing of any sort. It let him vulnerable. Being naked without a weapon or anything to hide his own scars was less than ideal, but he felt himself nodding anyway. The part of his brain that wasn't having an all out breakdown wanted her to see him clean and to want to be near him without passing out over the smell everyone else complained about.

But if anyone would watch his back and not judge him, it would be Y/N. 

She tugged his hand all the way into the showers, turning on the sign that let others know the area was in use. He let her lead the way, watching carefully when she backed up to stand before him. Y/N lowered the hood slowly, opening the front of her cloak, and letting it drop to the floor. She reached the hem of her long-sleeved shirt and hesitated for a few seconds. Closing her eyes against the memories that were no doubt running rampant in her mind, she pulled the shirt over her head. Daryl watched each excruciating moment, knowing how much courage it took to bare one's soul to be judge by another.

Y/N's fingers reached the tops of her leathers and pulled them down over her thighs, stepping out of them when they were around her ankles. She stood in front of him, trembling slightly with a coy grin on her face. When she reached for her bra, he turned away.

Only her soft spoken, "Please" caused him to lift his gaze to her once more. She wanted him to see all of her. All of the scars and imperfections. The harp angles and the plush curves. Anything and everything that made Y/N the beautiful creature who had stolen his heart. The panties came next, revealing her most intimate center. Daryl couldn't help but allow his eyes to roam her figure, drinking in the pleasurable sight of her broken existence. Though she was the one naked, he was the one stripped down to the foundation of his being. He was confronted with every fear and every desire he had ever known.

As if she knew the worries that plagued his thoughts, she kept the hidden strap on her thigh that held a thin blade.

The sight of it made his knees buckle a little . She was protecting him even while making herself vulnerable. It made him feel foolish and possessive all at once. Weak, but strong at the same time. It gave him the courage to match her sacrifice.

_**You~** _

His strong hands moved to unbutton the sleeveless plaid shirt, pulling it off along with the leather vest that covered his back. Daryl's bright blue eyes never left yours, burning through to the soul you thought had been lost forever. Trembling in a way that was barely noticeable, he turned his back to you. For a moment -you thought he would leave you out of fear, embarrassment, or something else entirely. But when he failed to move away, your eyes saw beyond the anger in your mind long enough to notice the scars that marked Daryl as one of the broken.

You didn't notice that your feet had carried you across the short distance between the two of you. Feeling him stiffen, you wrapped your arms around his waist and pulled him back against you. Your hands moved to rest above his rapidly beating heart as you placed a kiss to between his shoulder blades. Daryl shuddered at your touch, slowly relaxing until you moved away so he could finish getting undressed. He turned back to face you, seeing no judgement in your eyes as you poured all of the love you felt into them in order to reassure him that he was yours.

Daryl Dixon was an angel that had fallen from grace, lading into your hell on earth.

Next, his boots were tossed aside along with his socks. His pants dropped with a metal clang of his belt hitting the tile. He didn't wear underwear, you discovered. And when both of you stood there, observing each other in the smoggy air that filled the shower room, something shifted. The sacrifice had been paid and made way to the connection that had blossomed between you.

Turning your back now, you walk over to the shower and turn on the water. The spray was cold at first, but it eventually warmed after a few moments. Daryl slowly walked to join you beneath the continuous fall of water, not touching you or reaching for the soap. He simply stood there submissively. Some part of Daryl needed you to take control of the situation as if he didn't trust himself to not run the instant he saw the opportunity. You pushed his hair back so that he could not hide from you, pleased when he reached out to do the same. Your fingers brushed down his spine as you watched the chill bumps form on his skin.

A light, barely-there dusting of hair covered his chest and lower abdomen. It was masculine and beautiful, but you would love Daryl no matter what he looked like. It was the purity of his heart that called to you like a beacon. Your love for him was pegan as your soapy hands worshiped his body, scrubbing away the thick layer of dirt and grime that covered his skin. Daryl reached behind you to soap up his hands to return the favor. His touch was gentle, but firm as he worked to clean off the dried blood and sweat that had built up as you healed. You washed the silken strands of his growing hair and he washed yours.

The moment was intimate, romantic, and not at all sexual. Until Daryl kissed you...

_**Daryl~** _

He was confused. He couldn't stop his body from responding to her touch. Daryl wasn't a virgin, but he also didn't want to be touched in that way -at least not yet- despite what his other brain seemed to want. It was a natural reaction, right? His breath quickened as her hands washed over him, feeling much hotter than the water. He couldn't stop himself as he pressed forward and kissed her passionately. His tongue slid between her gorgeous lips, tasting the sweet flavor of her mouth.

His grip around her tightened as his hands squeezed her waist, pulling her closer. The moment Y/N's hands tangled in his hair, he felt that possessive energy subside. He didn't want to scare her. **_He_** felt scared and that was the last thing he wanted to feel. Daryl didn't like being in control. He didn't like feeling responsible for someone else's needs. And he knew Y/N's control had been stolen from her and she needed it back. So, Daryl let her ease the pace of their kiss into something deeper.

Y/N pressed against him as close as they both dared. The smell of her and the taste of her seeped into his bones and branded themselves into his memory forever. There would be no other girl for him. The wet velvet of her tongue stroked the roof of his mouth and ran along his teeth. Daryl's tongue chased her down, teasing it a little and summoning a whimper that vibrated against his lips. He wanted to cry in frustration that he didn't have the confidence or the courage to take things farther.

But Daryl would die happy if he stayed in this moment forever.

She broke away from the kiss and he growled at her. Y/N smiled, but moved her tempting mouth to a place on his neck that caused his eyes to roll into the back of his head. His arms shot out, bracing his palms against the cold tile of the shower. The water no longer hot, but he didn't notice and neither did she. He let her hands roam his back and sides as she peppered kisses along the column of his neck and shoulders. Daryl nuzzled into her neck, feeling her shiver when he grazed his teeth along her skin. She moaned in his ear, nails clutching at his shoulders, holding on for dear life.

And then they just...existed. Breathing in each other's air until someone banged on the door. He pulled away reluctantly, but turned off the water and grabbed her hand to guide her back to the discarded clothing. Silently, Y/N dressed, stealing little glances at him as he pulled on his clothing beside her. Daryl leaned down to press a quick kiss to her lips just before opening the door. Rick stood there with his eyebrow raised and way too many questions in his eyes for Daryl's comfort.

"Thought you two might've turned into fish," Rick said sarcastically.

Daryl looked over his shoulder in time to see Y/N making a puckered up facial expression as she imitated a cross-eyed fish.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Running list of your nicknames for Shane and ways you describe him:
> 
> Dumbass avenging Angel with a hero’s complex  
> Rick’s fuck-faced partner  
> Tall, dark, and hits-like-a-girl  
> Ass-hat-Shane  
> Ass-face  
> Captain of the douche-squad  
> Casanova  
> Lori's Baby Daddy  
> Dick bag  
> Misogynistic prick  
> Love muffin


	12. Well...shit.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You, Daryl, and Shane are a badass team. Ya'll carve through the biters like it's a walk through the park...one that ends with Hershel's leg getting cut off, but that's how the world works. Oh! And you and Daryl share some snuggle time. Some hot snuggle time.

**_You~_ **

As time went by, Lori was afraid the baby would be stillborn and somehow turn into a walker while still inside her. She was well overdue to give birth, so it was a legitimate fear that you couldn’t deny was a possibility. No one knew exactly what the virus was capable of, so thinking logically was the only option. You, however, didn’t understand why Lori came to you with this instead of Hershel or Rick.

The group was moving out soon to search for the cafeteria to see if there were any rations left behind. You didn’t particularly like Lori, but you wouldn’t have wished this on her. So, being the kind-hearted lady that you were, you allowed her to speak on these fears. At least people weren’t singing around campfires anymore. You couldn’t handle that shit for another night.

“If I turn or the baby turns, I need you to kill me Y/N. You did it for Dale, so I know you can. No one else will be able to do it.”

You kicked your boot against the floor making a squeaking sound you knew would cover up what you said next. “If it comes to that, I’ll do it. But don’t give up before it happens. Carl needs you and so does that baby. Part of me hates you for how you almost ruined two good men with your selfish bullshit, but you don’t deserve to go out like that. No one does. Just think about pulling through this. Either way, I’ll be there to do what needs to be done. You know I will.”

The two of you separated as to not raise suspicion. She should talk to Rick. She should tell him that the baby isn’t his. It should come from her mouth, a confession between husband and wife. But you knew Lori would never do something like that. Everyone seemed to know what they wanted until they had to give something up in order to get it.

When the group gathered, Rick announced that Hershel, T-dog, Glenn, and Maggie would be joining the rest of you. It was a bad idea taking Hershel –the only doctor- with on the search. You, Shane, and Daryl had argued that point with Rick and the others, but you were voted out. Which meant, the three of you banded together away from the rest of the group to come up with a secondary plan.

“I don’t like this,” Shane said in a low tone.

“There are too many people, valuable people, going with. The halls will be narrower with a group this size, so Daryl or I will either have to lead the group or leave the bows behind. Either way, we’re vulnerable. That leaves us with guns and knives. If we get pinned down, the guns might come in handy, but if anyone shoots without it being absolutely necessary, every walker in this prison will come looking for that sound.”

Daryl grunted at your words, signaling his agreement.

Shane cursed under his breath. “We’re leaving half of the group defenseless, what the hell is everyone thinking?”

You ignored his outburst and came up with a solution. “We move like a unit. Shane you cover the back. Daryl, you lead the group and I’ll scout ahead. Tekah will stay with the others and warn us if anything happens. Rick said Carol is a good shot, so we’ll leave her with a gun. It isn’t much, but it’s all we can do.”

Daryl spoke then. “And if something goes wrong?”

“Shane will push the others into a retreat and cover their exit. Any injured members of the search party will get assessed. If they can make it, we bring them along. If not, they get left behind. I was hoping our little pack could do a full sweep of this place and clear it out before something this stupid had to happen…”

“So, we’re the cleanup?” Shane asked bitterly.

“Nah, it’s just we the only ones thinkin’ clearly,” Daryl explained. “Ain’t none of us blinded by loyalty or emotions, so we’re the ones who are gonna keep the group alive. You can think we ain’t doin’ nothin’ but cleanin’ up their messes, if that’s whattcha wanna do. But it ain’t like that. They gone get themselves killed if they keep on thinkin’ the way they do. We’re just tryin’ to keep them goin’ until they see what’s at steak, right? Until then, we're the only thing standin' between them and bein' walkers.”

Daryl looked to you for confirmation and you smiled, happy he was starting to understand your way of thinking. He trusted you and that made you feel like the most cherished thing in the world. After everything was settled, You, Shane, and Daryl got into position. This world was like a giant game of chess, you had to think ten steps ahead in order to navigate your way through it all. But you weren't alone anymore and that was still hard to accept sometimes.

_**Daryl~** _

The group moved quickly with Y/N scouting ahead. She signaled for Daryl to lead the group through the labyrinth of halls, staring into the darkness corners in search for walkers. There wasn't much light, just a single beam from the flashlight Rick held in his hand along with his revolver. Seeing the gun made Daryl uneasy as he listened to the shadows. They had a system. And that system worked until Y/N came rushing back toward the group, if they hadn't seen her, they would have never known she was even moving. Her steps were calculated and soundless. He was beyond impressed with her at this point. He took pride in knowing that she was his girl.

Y/N spoke in a tone that was just barely even a whisper. "Walkers." She held up ten fingers twice, indicating that twenty biters were down that hall. Her eyes flicked over his shoulder. "More," she breathed before flashing sixteen. Shit. They were boxed in. Daryl held up his hand to stop the group, but Maggie accidentally bumped into Rick, causing him to drop the flashlight. Everyone held their breath as Rick struggled to catch it before it crashed to the ground. The sound rumbled like thunder in the silence as the flashlight rolled across the floor. The sound drew even more walkers that came up behind Shane.

Y/N pulled out her daggers and turned her furious eyes to the cluster of decaying bodies that stumbled toward them with guttural moans and growls. She vaulted, launching herself at them as she began to cut them down one by one. Thick, yellow pus ran like a river along side the blood that flowed freely, oozing past her hands as she twisted her blade and pulled it out. Daryl fired several bolts into heads of a few of the walkers. Shane carved up a lot with his new machete. They were unstoppable. Moving through the corridor, forcing the others to flank each other and help when more walkers arrived. Hershel let out a scream just as Y/N found the door to the cafeteria. Rick used his gun to shoot the makeshift lock of handcuffs off the doors.

Daryl pushed to the front again, as Y/N went to help Rick drag Hershel into the room. Shane covered the back as planned, keeping the group moving forward while slicing through walkers. He moved to help T-dog barricade the door once everyone was inside, using all of his strength to keep the walkers at bay. He hears Y/N say, "We have to cut off his leg before the infection spreads!"

Daryl turned to use his back and the leverage of his legs to keep the doors from flying open. Sweat poured down his face as he watched blood slither across the cement floor of the cafeteria. Y/N used Shane's belt to tie off Hershel's leg while Rick cut it off. Maggie cried for her father and held on the Glenn for support. He wanted to tell them that Y/N wouldn't let Hershel die, that she would do whatever it took to keep him alive. But not everyone shared his faith in her or knew how many times she had to save her own life while on the road by herself. Hershel eventually passed out from the pain. Everyone in the room breathed heavily until movement from the opposite side of the room caused Y/N and Shane to drop into fighting stances.

Rick and Glenn moved to help T-dog hold the door while Daryl found something to block it. When they were as safe as they were going to get, everyone turned their gazes to the figures near the barred window. Daryl lifts his crossbow, ready to fire.

_**You~** _

Yeah, you didn't trust Mustache and his boy band. They seemed to be the only inmates left in the prison that weren't walkers, which meant they had been locked behind that door since the outbreak. Rick wanted to talk, of course, but you could tell by the look in their eyes that these men would rather steal what your group had than to band together against impossible odds. Yeah, they were killers, but not the sort you recruited. "Rick, don't," you said with a look that meant  _I TOLD YOU NOT TO BRING HERSHEL AND THE OTHERS_. He looked a bit sheepish, but still said one of his speeches, trying to get the inmates to agree to give up half of what was left of the food and in return the group would help them leave.

There was a discussion about allowing them to take over whatever part of the prison they wanted as long as they stayed away from Cell Block C where your group was. They had no intentions of keeping their word, but Rick didn't know that. When Shane went to argue, you placed your hand on his shoulder and held him back. Daryl growled, but didn't say anything. You knew he hated whenever you touched someone who wasn't him even if he knew there was nothing between you and said person. It made you feel good, protected. Shane took your warning for what it was. Your little tactical unit wasn't there to clean up their messes as Daryl said. You were there to help them learn lessons and keep them alive while they did.

You leaned over so only Shane could hear you. "Just think of the _I told you so_ moments."

He smiled because he was just as petty as you were. Shane loved being right and you couldn't help but lighten the mood after what just happened. Daryl and T-dog left to escort the inmates away while you and Glenn took out as many walkers as you could so the others could take care of Hershel. It felt like years went by before you made it back, covered in walker guts and breathing like you ran a marathon. You patted Glenn on the back with a smile.

"How are you enjoying this?" he asked with an exasperated expression. Glenn had quickly become one of the people you were closest with in the group. Despite his optimistic outlook, he was badass. You respected that.

"Maybe because  _zombies_ , dude. That's all I should have to say. I was a huge nerd before all of this, loved reading whatever comic books that I could find and obsessing over books and tv shows. Marvel, Doctor Who, DC, Scooby-Doo, you name it. I was into everything, it was escape. But now...now I'm living my own adventure, writing my own story. What more could a girl like me ask for?" You said with an infectious grin that had him smiling back after a while.

Carol and Lori helped with Hershel while Glenn moved to sit with Beth and Maggie. Rick didn't want them alone in case Hershel died. There was nothing else for you to do, so you waited for Daryl. When you saw him you threw yourself into his arms, covering the two of you in blood, and kissed him until you both ran out of breath. Before his arms could come around your waist, Tekah growls. You both turn to see the inmates coming toward the cell block.

You and Daryl lift your bows, unwavering even as one of them lifted a gun to your faces. Assholes. Rick once again stopped anything from happening as him and their leader talked things out. A few threats were thrown into the mix and you just rolled your eyes. They begin to negotiate for half of the food supply once again, this time volunteering your little squad to clear out a cell block for the prisoners. Shane agrees if it will keep the others safe. Daryl would follow you anyway, seeing as he hated being away from you after nearly losing you already. And you were still feeling the rush of your last fight, so it was a no brainer.

You were the only one to see Carl leaving, but you said nothing. He was a good kid and you had been training him in secret like you did with Sophia back on the mountain. He could handle what little walkers remained near the infirmary if he stayed quiet like you taught him. The rest of you headed out to clear the cell block.

_**Daryl~** _

One of the inmates, Thomas, killed one of the other prisoners. Walkers came out of nowhere and swarmed his pack. Daryl stayed close to Y/N, Shane covered Rick, and T-dog fell into step with all of them. At one point, Thomas tried to push walkers toward Rick in an attempt to get him killed thinking they could take over Cell Block C without him. Rick grabbed Shane's machete at the last minute and killed the prick. Daryl was proud that Rick hadn't hesitated. Maybe there was hope for him yet. There was a beast inside of him, waiting to be called to front. Y/N noticed this too, of course.

She took out most of the walkers. Andrew, another one of the inmates, kicked Rick and took off out into the courtyard. The pack was hot on his trail, shoving him through the door and locking it. They left him to his fate, but allowed the other two to keep the clean cell block -as they discussed- before everyone went back. Daryl was exhausted and about done with Rick's little love fest. They shouldn't be so trusting. Look where it just got them? He understood Rick, he respected Rick, but he wanted Rick to wake the fuck up and take a look around.

Everyone broke away from each other to handle their own things. Daryl and Y/N cleaned up a bit, but didn't have the energy or mental stability for another shower just yet. They settled onto the mattresses on the floor together, fingers intertwined and close enough to hear each other's heartbeats. Daryl relaxed into her touch, now craving it more than dreading it. He felt her other hand in his hair as he buried his face in her neck, squeezing her tight. Their muscles ached and the world was falling apart beyond the walls of the prison, but everything seemed alright when her lips touched his.

Everything seemed to fade away into nothingness when her tongue slid into his mouth and he growled low in his throat. His cautious hands gripped her hips and pulled her flush against him, feeling her warmth against his aching erection. It was as if he was trying to merge their bodies into one even through the safety of their clothing. He breathed her in deeply, desperately. Each brush of her skin tore him apart and put him back together again. Y/N moaned into the kiss, gripping his hair tightly and pulling his head back to press her lips against his neck. He felt hot all over, tingles racing up and down his back when she licked the base of his throat before sinking her teeth into his flesh. His hips thrusted against her subconsciously as if they had a mind of their own. His hands slid down the back of her leathers and gripped her ass, holding on in fear of what it all meant more than anything. Daryl thought he was ready to go further, ready to let her take them to that next level...and then he wasn't. And neither was she.

As much as they wanted to be free, completely free with one another, the memories never failed to breach the surface in those moments. It would happen, he could feel it. But not until they both had the courage to hope for the future instead of preparing to die the next day. Y/N hated hope and dreams and faith. And Daryl was scared of all of those things, knowing how easily it could all fall apart. But together, they could find harmony in the chaos. Their breathing slowed down. Her hands moved to his heaving chest as she smiled shyly up at Daryl. He removed his own hands from her body just long enough to wrap them around her waist again. That was...intense for him. He was still shaking from it. Excitement? Fear? He didn't know.


	13. I Need To Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Daryl finally have that talk. The one about all of the bullshit you went through over the years and the abuse he suffered at the hands of his father. Yeah, that talk.
> 
> ***WARNING*** Major triggers again. Things are mentioned, but nothing is really graphic in this chapter.
> 
> We're getting through most of the bad so we can move on to the good things. Healing needs room to flourish.

_** Daryl~ ** _

“I want ya’ ta’ tell me everythin’,” Daryl said as he glanced toward Y/N while she walked with him over to the small camp they set up. She looked up at him with shielded eyes, they had been that way since T-Dog got bit and the close call between Rick and the inmates. In the scuffle with the walkers in the yard, Y/N had been forced to separate from the Wolf Pack. She ended up with Maggie, Carl, and Lori -who had gone into labor just when all hell was breaking loose. Perfect timing as usual.

Maggie and Y/N had to operate on Lori to get the baby out, but by that time Lori had lost too much blood and was already dying. Carl had been the one to put his mother down after she turned into a walker and that was what bothered Y/N. Despite all of the things she believed about the outbreak and how it was going to take sacrifice and anger to make it through the storm, she hadn’t wanted Carl to find that lifelessness in his eyes at such a young age. Rick and Daryl had thought they all died until they heard the sound of the baby crying. And with a baby, that meant they needed things like formula and diapers. Which was why Daryl went looking for Y/N. He wanted her with him on the run so they could talk.

“I mean it. On this run, I come clean and ya’ gonna come clean, too. I don’t want no secrets between us. With people droppin’ like flies around here, we need to know what might be used against us.”

Daryl sat down and then pulled Y/N onto his lap, making her face him as well as her demons. “Ya’ want me ta’ go first?” he asked. She shook her head and settled against him. This needed to happen before anything else bad could pull them

Her eyes were dead as she spoke…

“I was barely ten years old when I found the tapes. They were marked with my name, sorted by dates. Found out the first time my grandfather and his brother raped me I was five years old. He taped it all in the basement of my grandma’s house, keeping it safe like it was a regular home video collection. When I found them, I went to my uncles for help, thinking they would talk to their father and get him to stop hurting me.” Y/N shook her head, biting her lip until Daryl feared she would break the skin. “One by one they passed me around. Every time they saw me, they found a reason to get me alone. They were raising their children to be predators and I was the victim. Men, women, old, young, it didn’t matter. Every last one of them used me, beat me, raped me, and brainwashed me into thinking I couldn’t go for help. I slept in piles of dirty clothes to keep warm because I wasn't allowed to use a bed with the other children. I tried my best to raise the other kids differently, but they turned to drugs, prostitution, and crime. They had been given normal lives and they  _ **chose**_  to be predators. But I stayed the good girl.”

Daryl used the pad of his thumb to release her lip and to brush the tears away that streamed down her face. He hated the little hiccup that cut off her words, hated himself for making her relive it.

“It didn’t slow down until I was sixteen, guess they didn’t like that I was growing into a woman. There were the occasional touches or beatings, but it wasn’t anything like what it had been. And in my mind, life had gotten better...until I saw my sister and mother for the first time in years. They called me a spoiled brat and told me they hated me. That was the first time I tried to kill myself. I had no friends, my family either loved me too much or hated my guts, there was no one I could count on. After I woke up in the hospital, I ran away.”

“Where’d ya’ go?” he asked softly, concern written in his eyes.

“I lived on my own in the woods or slept outside of the library. I was eating whatever I could find and teaching myself how to fight. The library or the forest was my only sanctuary. I was smart, Daryl. I could have been so much more than a victim. But I let them take control of my life. And I lived like trash until I turned twenty years old, finally fed up with being a broken chew toy. So, I went back home to confront them. I heard all of the excuses you could imagine, but it didn’t matter. I killed my grandfather that night and didn’t even shed a tear.”

Daryl pulled Y/N closer. “That was the fight, huh? The one that made ya’ runaway again when the outbreak happened?

Y/N nodded her head as her lower lip began to tremble. It broke his fucking heart to see her so weakened by people he would love to go back in time and kill with his bare hands. Whatever he went through, it was nothing compared to the years of torture and suffering that she survived.

_** You~ ** _

When the tremors subsided and you were finally able to think clearly, you crawled off of Daryl’s lap and paced around the camp. He watched you with his unsettling eyes, peeling away the layers you built up around yourself and leaving you exposed. “I ran into so many groups on my journey...We don’t have time to discuss them all, but I told you a little about Terminus, the creep with the eye patch, and the…garbage people. But I never told you about Negan…”

You noticed how Daryl seemed to sit up straighter when you said that name, probably picking up on the fact that you mentioned a single person and not a group.

“I was with him not long before I found Sophia. He was a ruthless, dictating, callous, hateful son of a bitch…but I loved him.”

Somehow saying those words out loud to Daryl made you cry harder than explaining what your family had done to you.

“In the short time we were together, we built an empire. An army that I called the  _Saviors_ , because that was what they were to me. Negan saved my life and killed the men who tried to harm me, bashed their heads in with a baseball bat covered in barbed wire. He was the only man I ever loved before you, the only one who made me feel like I wasn’t just some piece of trash to be tossed aside. And I owned his heart, but I didn’t own the rest of him. He had multiple wives, women he slept with to keep himself occupied. So…I left. I realized that you can care for someone and love them, but not  _be in love_  with them at the same time.”

Daryl began to shake his head over and over again. You felt like you had betrayed him somehow, even though you knew you hadn’t. It wasn’t as if he didn’t have a past just as fucked up as yours. “I ran for a long time, Daryl. I ran until I felt free….until I didn’t feel that love anymore or see the faces of my attackers every time I heard a noise from behind. You, Daryl, are the best thing to ever happen to me. You make what I felt for Negan feel like a silly little crush. I love you so much it hurts to breathe without you. You’ve given me life and a reason to keep going.”

Everything was quiet. Nothing moved in the forest and Daryl just sat there in that silence. He didn’t meet your gaze or give any indication of how he reacted to your story. You felt…hurt by that somehow, even though you had expected it. You always knew your story would be what broke you two apart. "I understand if this is how things end...always knew it would come to this."

You tried to walk away, but Daryl's hand gripped your wrist in a biting hold, making you wince a little. His touch softened and he rubbed the spot where his fingers had hurt you. He was searching for what to say, you knew that, but you didn't want his pity or his anger. You just wanted him to hold you and make you think things were alright again.

"I ain't leavin' ya', Y/N. Just a lot ta' take in is all. We ain't endin'...ever. You and me. The Wolf Pack gonna be the last ones standin' remember? I ain't givin' up the only good thing I've had in my life. I ain't givin' ya' up."

**_ Daryl~ _ **

Once again, he pulled her down to his level, but this time he laid the two of them on the ground so she could look up at the stars while he talked. It was Daryl's turn to tell his story. And he did. He told her everything about Merle leaving him behind to bear the burden of their father's anger. He described the lashes against his back and legs from the belt or getting his hair pulled. Daryl went over every detail that he remembered of his father's drunken abuse. He even losing his mom when he was younger.

Y/N gripped his chin and tilted his head down so she cool look him in the eye. "You are so strong. And I love you, Daryl Dixon. I swore to you that there was a place in the pack for Merle and I meant it. But I'm making you a promise that when I meet him, he and I are going to go several rounds in the ring. And I'll fucking kill him if he leaves you again. I promise you that."

Daryl pressed his lips against Y/N's. She curled her hands up against his chest and kissed him back lightly. The energy was thick with sadness and regret, not allowing either of them to fully relax into the embrace. There was no distance, however. If anything the confessions brought Y/N and Daryl closer. He knew her as well as she allowed anyone to. And She knew him better than his own damn brother.

Their lives were sad, but not over. They had found each other, two broken pieces to a much larger puzzle. And for the first time, Daryl allowed himself to dream about a future with Y/N. He wanted forever with her, but he didn’t know how she would react to that. She loved him. Daryl simply wondered if she would ever let him love her back completely.

The next morning, they hit a daycare center and an a supercenter. They were able to get a few cases of formula, diapers, bottles, toys, some clothes, as well as kill a few possums on the way. Back at the prison, tension was high. Rick went on some sort of mission to find Lori's body and Shane instructed everyone to let him do what he needed to in order to grieve over the loss of his wife. Everyone agreed, but Rick's state of mind doesn't seem to be the healthiest at the moment. People were scared he would do something stupid out on his own.

Daryl watched Y/N with the baby, letting everything else fall into the background. She seemed much lighter after their talk when she realized he wasn't going anywhere. Now, she smiled that breathtaking smile at him and he wondered what she would look like with a child of her own. He knew she would protect any child till her dying days. Y/N walked over to him and handed him the squirming infant. Daryl lifted the bottle to the little girl's puckered lips and fed her while everyone else watched. He did it for the baby, for Y/N, for Lori's memory, and so he could look back on that moment and know that he was nothing like his father.


	14. Together At Last

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Graphic sexual intercourse with emotional gravity. This was actually inspired not only by the character Daryl Dixon, but how Norman Reedus said he would want Daryl's intimate moment to happen.

_**3RD PERSON** _

There seemed to be too many people at the prison now, so Y/N went to her dark corner in the midst of it all and tried to breathe calmly. They didn't understand how much control it took to keep her from running. The bigger the group got, the harder it would be to avoid trouble. And although many of the people in the group had gotten better at defending themselves, there were still those who needed protecting. The Wolf Pack was where they placed their trust. Y/N, Shane, Daryl, Glenn, Tekah, and Michonne. Carl was on his way to joining, though

Yeah, Carl had come as a surprise. He was just a kid after all, but taking down Lori had changed him.

He was one of them now, ready to do what needed to be done for the sake of survival.

Footsteps sounded down the corridor. Heavy boots scuffled in the dark until a shadow fell over Y/N. Daryl.

"Miss me, Dreamy Blues?" she drawled. He grunted as usual, turning her to face him. What she saw in his eyes never failed to make her breathless. It was love, trust, worship, and...fear. Daryl wanted to say something, she could feel it. Whether he had the courage to say it and Y/N had the courage to listen remained to be seen.

"I want ya', Y/N. I want ya' ta' take control so I don't have ta' think about it." His hands were gentle as they framed her face, pulling her closer until his lips pressed against hers. Was she ready? Were either of them prepared for this to happen? Nothing was certain, but she knew how she felt about Daryl. This was the logical step.

Her hands brushed his sides, happy that he no longer flinched at her touch and she no longer tried to hide in the darkness of her mind. It was just the two of them, leaning against a metal table that was bolted to the floor. The kiss was soft. Lips sliding over one another, playful nibbles here and there. Suddenly, with him standing over Y/N, panic began to set in. It wasn't welcome between them any longer. She turned so that he was the one against the table, his hips pressing against the surface.

His hands found the hem of her shirt and stopped. Y/N broke the kiss, took three steps way from him, and pulled off each layer of her clothing one by one. Just like the first time they had showered together. There was no hesitation this time, no cold dread creeping up their spines at the thought of seeing each other in that way. Daryl now knew some of her darkest secrets. He knew every scar on her body and made friends with the demons in Y/N's mind, urging them away when they threatened to undo her.

And she knew him just as well. Daryl's fingers carefully unbuttoned his shirt, sliding off his vest and the sleeve-less plaid in one move. His eyes roamed her body with desire. There was no lust, no harshness, no defilement in the energy that shimmered between them. She slid down her leathers and stood before him, hands brushing her own body as she reacquainted herself with the sensation of being touched intimately. "So much time has passed since the day we met, Daryl. I'm happy we're still together."

His pants hit the floor as she cautioned a step toward him. He allowed her to approach even when every nerve in his body crackled with worry. When he expected the violence, she gave him softness. She pressed her palms to his cheeks and kissed Daryl with all the love she felt in her heart. His hands rubbed up and down her back, trying to ease the way she began to tremble. "Ya' want this, Y/N? We ain't gotta do it, if ya' don't want ta'."

"I want this," she whispered. Her eyes never left his as she trailed her hands down his chest and abdomen. Daryl sucked in a breath at the feeling of her heated palms when she gripped his erection. He was scared it would falter, that it would go limp or he would ejaculate prematurely and be left in the aftermath of his embarrassment. Her fingers stroked expertly, but curiously against the velvet steel in her hands. Daryl squeezed his eyes shut, feeling her push him back until he lay flat on the table. She crawled up his body with shaky limps, feeling just as nervous and insecure in that moment even as she was the one in power.

She could hear their voices in her head, trying to shut them out. They didn't belong here. This was special, this was consent. It wasn't her being pressed into a body that made her want to vomit. It wasn't her being violated until she blacked out from the pain. What was been Y/N and Daryl was love. She poised her wet, flowering need above the blunt tip of his masculinity. Daryl held his breath and began to shake his head. Y/N stopped. "Daryl," she breathed. "Please look at me."

After a few labored breaths, Daryl looked up at Y/N. "I'm sorry if it's not what ya' wanted...if I ain't..the size ya' wanted."

She leaned forward and kissed his lips, cutting off his foolish rant. "You're beautiful. Everything that you're thinking about yourself is a lie, Daryl. I love you and I have never seen a more thoughtful, gorgeous, deserving man in my life. I just don't want to disappoint you..."

His hands came up to pull her back into a kiss before he spoke, "Ain't nothin' ya' could do ta' disappoint me, Y/N. Ya' ma girl and I think ya' perfect." With a few more tender kisses, his back arched and he dropped his hands as he felt the heat of her take in the weeping tip of his penis. She clenched slightly, unused to the stretch of her muscles. Despite his worries, Daryl was not a small man. Y/N rocked into the expected burn that came with the intimate kiss of her body accepting a new lover. Especially after so long of never being free to do so.

Daryl's hands fisted tightly by his side as he gulped down mouthfuls of air. But he kept his eyes open like she asked, both of them needed to know that this was consensual between them. Y/N sank further and further down his length, letting out a soft moan when their bodies were flush against one another. He caressed her greatest depths, her liquid fire pooling against their connected flesh. She allowed them to breath in enough air, leaning down to kiss him breifly, needing the love and desire there to keep her from going over the edge.

Y/N laced their fingers and rose up on her knees until just the head remained buried in her spasming channel. On a long exhale, she slid back down...slowly, pulling their entangled hands to her hips to hang on tight. She repeated this process until she was able to pickup speed. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six full thrusts of him buried inside her, brushing against a spot that made her vision swim. And he had no idea. He was unaware of the pleasure he brought her. She remained quiet in their love making, not wanting him to misunderstand her sounds as cries for help or distress. She breathed through it. The trauma that had been done to her body did not allow her to reach the peak, frustrating her on a soul deep level. But she felt...complete.

"Y/N..." her name was all the warning he could manage before thrusting up and spilling his essence inside of her, pulsating at her depths, caressing her aching womb. Daryl kept his eyes closed, removing his hands from hers, and lifting them to hide his face. Y/N allowed him to slide out of her before she covered his body with hers.

"Don't shut me out..."

"I'm sorry." Y/N could hear the tears in his voice, feel the mortification that radiated off of Daryl.

"Please, don't regret that. Don't regret me," she hiccuped. Daryl moved his hands and pulled her close, nuzzling into her neck and shaking his head.

"I don't regret ya', Y/N. I'm just...embarrassed I couldn't give ya' what ya' need."

She caressed up and down his back. "You did, Daryl. You gave me back my control. Nothing about that was anything but what I needed. Everything that they stole from me. Everything that they used to destroy me. You gave it back. You made it beautiful again and you took away the fear that made me want to end it all. We'll get better. Both of us. You're my life, Daryl. I love you."

When he began to pull away, she panicked and tugged him back toward her. The kisses he placed on her forehead, nose, cheeks, and lips made her heart flutter. He healed her with each touch and she would forever be grateful for his love and his patience. He moved to lean down and grab his shirt, using the fabric to clean up the sticky mess between her legs as best as he could.

"I made ya' dirty..." he grumbled as he lifted Y/N up and carefully, stealthily carried her to the showers as she held on to their clothes. Beneath the lukewarm spray, he washed away all of the pain and self-doubt until nothing remained.

"I've never felt so clean," Y/N said as she kissed him passionately.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought a moment like this required a chapter of its own. Let me know what you think. This is the beginning of something great.


	15. Brotherly Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your talk with Merle Dixon.

**_You~_ **

The Wolf Pack was in position. Through one of the small holes in the building, you were able to see Maggie. You also heard her confess to the creep with the eye patch who called himself the Governor where the prison was. Shit. You understood why she did it though. Maggie and Glenn had a different love than you and Daryl, but it was love nonetheless.

You and Daryl understood that the greater good came before all else, even each other. But now the group was in danger. You’ve dealt with this scum before, so you knew just how vicious they could be. Rick and the others were on their way still, in the forest making progress toward Woodbury. Of course, you and your crew hadn’t sat around the campfire trading plans while Maggie and Glenn were forced to submit to the prick that had kept the walker version of his daughter like a pet. Nah, you moved out as soon as Michonne broke the news. Michonne stayed with Rick, Shane was East, Daryl was South, and you infiltrated the compound.

Slowly and painfully quiet, you eased your way inside, creeping up behind the asshole that had Maggie taking off her shirt. You wanted to gut him right there, but a voice from the other room gave you pause. Things just got a whole lot more complicated. You heard Glenn begging Merle Dixon of all people to stop the Governor from hurting Maggie. Shit again.

Dropping lower to the ground, you press a finger to your lips to hush Maggie in case she freaked out and gave away your position. With a hand over his mouth, you kicked his knees out from under him. The man collapsed to the floor and you choked him out until he lost consciousness. Once the body went limp, you shoved him to the side and crawled toward Maggie. She was in shock even after everything you all have been through. Losing Glenn would have been far worse for her. Hell, Glenn was your friend. He was part of your pack. You would die for him like everyone else you recruited. But Maggie needed to pull it together. You whispered, “Go through that spot over there. Keep low, head east, and find Shane. I’ve got Glenn, don’t worry.”

You hand Maggie one of your daggers and push her toward the way you came in. There wouldn’t be much time before the Governor woke up, so you made sure she was safe and then rushed the door where Glenn was being questioned. Of course, Glenn noticed you, but distracted Merle long enough for you to sneak up behind the eldest Dixon brother.

Your blade bit into his throat as you sneered, “Howdy, cowboy. I’m Daryl’s girl. Touch Glenn again and we’ll have a problem.”

“Holy shit. How do I know yer tellin’ the truth?”

“Your boss is on the floor unconscious, I don’t think you have a choice. But I’ll give you one. Come with and we walk out of here as friends. Make this difficult and the two of us will have problems.” You hoped Merle was smart enough to make the right decision. But he shoved backwards, knocking you off balance before pushing a walker toward you and Glenn.

“Go after him, I got this!” Glenn yelled. You didn't like leaving him tied to a chair with a walker in the room, but he was more than capable of handling the situation. You nodded, throwing him your other dagger.

“Maggie’s safe, she’s headed east with Shane. Go north and you’ll find Rick and the others.”

Glenn thanked you as you ran after Merle Dixon. Your day got even better when he helped the Governor to his feet like a loyal dog. You couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. This coward was the brother that Daryl lost sleep over? Yeah, he needed to impress you a bit more for that. Two men came up behind you and the telltale sound of a hammer being pulled back on a pistol clicked at your temple. You really  ** _really_** hate guns.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

**_Daryl~_ **

He stood inside an arena, facing the woman he loved and the brother who wanted to prove himself loyal to the sorry piece of swine that held them captive. They wanted him to fight them. Daryl hoped Y/N or Merle had a plan. He didn’t want to believe that his brother would be stupid enough to align himself with the man Y/N said did disturbing things in the dark.

Merle took a swing at Daryl only to be caught by an uppercut that sent his big body sprawling across the floor. Daryl was in awe at the sight of Y/N standing over his brother. She smiled down at him as the bazar crowd began to cheer. Her voice sounded like a shelter in a storm. “Touch him and I fucking end you.”

“I’m just glad little brother got enough balls to go after a sweet thang like you. My loyalty is to the Governor.”

He knew Y/N let Merle crawl to his feet just so she could climb him like a tree and ram her elbow into the top of his head over and over again. Daryl rushed them, pulling her off Merle, but blocking her with his body. Merle’s punch that was intended for her struck Daryl in the back. A vicious battle cry pierced through the night, silencing the crowd, and shocking Merle.

That’s when he could no longer hold her. She went limp in his arms, causing his steps to falter long enough so she could escape. Y/N ran and jumped into the air. She landed a kick against Merle’s jaw so loud it sounded like ice cracking over a frozen pond. Before she could do any more damage, Merle gave him a look and the three of them fought their way out of that pit. Y/N was confused by the change, but followed his lead.

Maggie and Rick appeared when the gunfire erupted in Woodbury. Shane, Glenn, and Michonne covered their exit. The Wolf Pack swept through that place like a manic hellfire. No one said anything until they were far enough away to where they couldn’t hear the gunshots anymore. Y/N was livid. He could feel the tension coming of her, so he paused to pull her against him. She threw herself into his arms, burying her face in the crook of his neck. “I fucking hate your brother. When that walker almost grabbed you…shit. Daryl, I can't lose you.”

“M’ sorry, Y/N. Didn’t mean ta’ get captured anymore than you did. But Merle didn’t hurt me…”

She shoved him away, glaring at Daryl. He never saw that look in her eyes before and he never wanted to see it again. She was disappointed. “He did hurt you. I’ll keep my promise, Daryl. You know I will. But if you or him think that he doesn’t have to earn that spot in our pack, then you’ll be really fucking surprised. Merle and I get to have that talk, Daryl.”

Great. _That_ talk. It almost seemed worse than the night they spilled their guts about their pasts to one another. Y/N was doing it to protect him, to protect all of them, but he knew if Merle didn’t try his best to convince her that he was able to handle what they had planned…only one of them would walk away from that talk. And it might not be his brother. Everyone made it to the road. Michonne contemplated leaving, but Y/N convinced her to stay. She had a place with them and they could use her skills.

Rick and Glenn were not happy about Daryl wanting Merle to stay with the group. Shane wasn't happy either, but his loyalty was now with the pack and that meant he saw the bigger picture. No matter if any of them  _liked_ Merle, he was needed. The resourcefulness, recklessness, and pure insanity that his brother had was unmatched anywhere else.

"If Merle goes, I go," he heard himself say.

"Rick, give me one day."

Daryl turned to Y/N. She wanted to have the talk now? Without him or the rest of their pack? He trusted her, but he wasn't sure if he could trust Merle not to hurt her or worse....

But when Y/N got that look in her eyes and she shook her head, Daryl knew he couldn't argue with her about it. "Just come back ta' me, ya' hear? I ain't gonna give ya' no more than a day until I come find ya'."

"Wouldn't expect nothing less, Dreamy Blues." Y/N leaned up against him and pressed a kiss to his lips that had his head swimming. Daryl thought to the way their bodies had connected as he reached his climax, this time he didn't feel shame or embarrassment. He wanted to prove himself now. To show her that he could be everything she needed. Daryl wanted to erase Negan and all the others from her mind. She was his girl. And she tasted like rainwater and sweetness.

_**You~** _

They all thought you were crazy going out into the woods with Merle Dixon. But they would learn just like him that you weren't the one to underestimate. There was so much darkness inside of you that what Merle did seemed like a school yard fight. And god was he a noisy fucker. Merle didn't shut up, he blabbed about anything and everything, not caring if walkers were nearby or not. You silenced him by lifting your hand, sensing a presence nearby. Out from the underbrush Tekah raced toward Merle. A sharp whistle from you had the wolf pulling to an instant stop. Tekah growled and you smirked over your shoulder at little-dick-Dixon.

"The Wolf Pack is a faction separate from all else. We're stronger, faster, deadlier, and more cunning than you could imagine. With our collective knowledge and experience, we've trained to be the best. Tekah is our eyes and ears. Shane is the muscle and strategist. Daryl does recon and long range attacks. Michonne is defense and retreat. Glenn is our exit specialist as well as our runner. I handle training, close combat, and damage control. We work as a unit and everyone does their part. Carl and Carol are showing potential, but I promised Daryl that I would consider you."

Honestly, you were surprised Merle shut up long enough for you to get that much out. You were hoping with his military background that he would be a reasonable man.

"You promised Daryl, huh?"

"It's the only way Rick will let you stay. Either you're with me and you're my responsibility or you're on your own. We have no leader, everyone has a voice, but we don't sit around and discuss things when action needs to happen. We break down the door, lay waste to all threats, and **_then_** we regroup. There's no democracy, no bias, and no hesitation. If something needs to be said, then say it, but we get the job done and we move on. If you can handle that and the amount of bloodshed that comes with it, then you'll fit in just fine. But I have rules..."

Merle laughed in your face. "For a group without a leader, they all seem to follow you."

"By choice, not obligation. They know the rules of being in the pack and they abide by them. Whatever they do otherwise is not my concern. I'm not here to babysit or wipe up drool when someone has a mental breakdown. I know what's out there and I need people like you on my side. If what Daryl said is true."

"I'm all the man you'll ever need, hot pants."

You tried, you really did, but you didn't try so hard that it stopped you from ramming your forearm into Merle's throat. It took a long time before he was able to draw breath and you reveled in the silence.

"We live by a creed -Anger, defiance, and nature, for we are a force to be reckoned with. forged from black fire, silent and ruthless in our claim. We are the Wolf Pack." You and Tekah howl toward the sky as one. Merle looked up at you with some semblance of understanding, but said nothing for once.

"Rule number one: Heed the wolf's cry - if Tekah or any member of the pack signals danger, you either retreat or reinforce.

Rule number two: Embrace the beast - Anger, rage, and violence is your key to survival in this new world. Harness it.

Rule number three: Minimize attachments -it'll be easier to let them go when the time comes.

Rule number four: Innovation before retaliation -that means you process, plan, and execute before going off half-cocked.

Rule number five: Salvage -meaning save what can be saved and that includes people as well as resources.

Rule number six: No place is home -just a temporary base of operations so don't ever get too comfortable.

And there's a special rule for you, Merle."

"And what would that be, sweet cheeks?"

He made your skin crawl, but you knew his story. You also knew Daryl's story and that was all you needed. Where part of you wanted to hate Merle Dixon for all that he has done, there was another side that made you want to help Daryl remember the brother he loved. Remember the good memories of 4th of July celebrations, drunken birthdays, and chasing girls. If Merle was the key to fixing Darly the way he fixed you, then you would welcome that.

"Don't fuck with Daryl. If you hurt him again...directly or indirectly. I will carve you up and serve you like a three-course meal to the walkers."

Merle tried to laugh off your threat, but the unwavering fearlessness in your eyes told him you were serious and that you could do it. He shuffled to his feet, standing tall in front of you, and asked, "What's next?"

You floored him again and then used your belt to tie his arms behind his back.

"Takin' advantage of a man with one hand?"

"Nah, just takin' a page out of Shane's book." Once Merle was back on his feet you laid into him. It became the initiation ritual. Beating someone down physically as you used what you knew about them to get an emotion response.

"Did you even think about it before you abandoned Daryl? How could a man run away knowing that his little brother was being beaten by the asshole that made him?"

Kick to the ribs.

"Did you feel like a man the first time you harassed a woman?"

Punch to the jaw.

It went on like this until Merle Dixon cried. And then it continued again until he got angry. He used his shoulder to force you against a tree so hard the wind was knocked out of you. He brought his knee up into your side over and over until you slid down to the ground. You laughed when he head-butted you, letting him obey rule number two. And when he went to deal the blow that would knock you unconscious, you whistled only loud enough for your companion to hear. Testing rule number one.

Merle stopped everything when Tekah howled, fell into a crouch at your side with his eyes trained on the trees.

"Welcome to the Wolf Pack, Merle."

"I don't understand..."

"You have guilt and anger. You're remorseful over what your brother went through. You didn't know did you?"

"I thought leavin' was protectin' him."

You stand, brush your hands off, and help Merle to his feet. You slice through his binds and then turn him to face you.

"I will be the one to protect Daryl. You have a place where you belong now, Merle. And people who will defend you and fight by your side. Don't waste it. No more drugs, no more rape, no more provoking people. You shut up, listen, and act. Got it?" 


	16. For You I Will

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Y/N and Daryl reunite and things start to change. *Smut Warning* explicit sexual intimacy with emotional gravity.

_**Daryl~** _

His heart stopped when he saw how beaten down Y/N and Merle were, but his worry wasn't for his brother. Nah, Daryl ran to Y/N and carried her inside the prison. He took her back to their cell and stripped her clothes off of her, laying her down on the mattress on the floor, and then did the same for himself. It had become their routine. Baring themselves and holding each other until the rest of the world disappeared. It wasn't healthy how dependent on each other they had become. But they weren't weakened by it, if anything it made them stronger.

Daryl kissed every cut, bruise, and red mark on her body that blended with the scars of her past. She hissed quietly when his soft lips brushed against her hipbone. Daryl growled lowly, smelling the scent of her arousal. He rolled them over, his big shoulders stretching her thighs wide as she straddled him. Licking his lips, he kept his eyes trained on her in the way that said he wanted this. They didn't need words between them. Y/N was his and he wanted her. All of her.

She nodded her head in acceptance, surrender, and consent all at once as she lowered herself over his mouth. Daryl opened wide and drank in her femininity. His tongue slid up the length of her core, moaning at the taste of her excitement. Though his hands were gripping her hips, gently rocking her into his suctioning mouth, she was in control. Her fingers brushed against his scalp, tugging slightly on the strands of his hair. She bucked her hips in a rhythm that drove him mad.

Daryl wanted her loud. He wanted to hear the pleasure he was giving her body, but they couldn't. The others would hear and come to look for the sounds, so she stayed quiet. Y/N reached down and grabbed one of his hands, lifting it to her mouth so she could suck his fingers down the back of her throat. Daryl nibbled on her clit before sucking on it in the same tempo she did with his fingers. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as he felt her thighs clench, riding out the high of her orgasm and moaning against his fingers. He felt the vibrations, the wetness, the suction of her mouth and he ached for it.

_**You~** _

Oh, that was the best hello you've ever gotten. That big body shuddered beneath you as you crawled lower and lower. You grazed your teeth against his chest, flicking his nipple with your tongue before taking it into your mouth. Daryl's back arched and he gripped the mattress beneath him. You smiled, licking his abs. You tasted earth, sweat, soap, and something that was all Daryl. His flavor made your soul sing to the heavens with joy. You nipped his hipbones.

Daryl's hips lifted off the bed, eyes squeezed tight, when your tongue lapped at every inch of skin you could find. That delicious V and a thin happy trail led you toward the treasure straining up toward his belly. You lean down to breathe hot air on his member, loving how Daryl hissed through his teeth. "Y/N..." he whispered desperately.

"Open your eyes, Dreamy Blues."

He sucked in a big gulp of air and then looked down the length of his torso. You licked the red tip of his cock, tasting the salty precum that came from you riding his face. God, you loved how he tasted...how he felt. You sucked on the tip, matching the pulse you felt against your tongue until you stared him in the eyes and swallowed him down the back of your throat. Daryl's body stiffened like a board. He fought to keep his hips from thrusting against you and you loved him for it. He didn't want to scare you and that meant so much that he thought of your feelings even when he wanted to lose himself to the pleasure.

You hollowed your cheeks as you slid him out of your throat, leaving just the tip in your mouth as you twirled your tongue along the sensitive underside of his head. Daryl trembled. You lowered yourself again. His fingers went to your hair, not pulling, but holding on as you manipulated his body with love. His breaths came out in strobe-like pants, telling you he was close. This sort of intimacy was rare and he cherished it, even when he was unable to savor it.

With one last torturous deep-throat, you eased off, bringing your hand up you licked your palm and used it to slide from base to tip. You twisted your wrist and tightened your grip as you got closer to the head of his cock. He throbbed against your tongue, now bucking his hips, trying to feel your velvet slick mouth as you slurped him up. "Stop...I'm gonna."

"I want you." And with that you took him all the way until your nose touched his pubic hair. He threw his head back and hissed, pulsating his release down the back of your throat. Your jaw burned and your voice was a little rough, but you loved it. You loved the give and take of pleasure between the two of you.

"I love ya', Y/N." he said, legs shaking until you came to rest beside him.

"I love you, too."

You loved that he kissed you even after such an intimate exchange, tasting the combination of your flavors and it was beautiful. 

A commotion from down the corridor had both of you pulling on your clothes reluctantly. Daryl leaned down to steal one more kiss before going to check on the others. You stretched above your head, not yet ready to play mediator. When you arrived in the area where everybody hung out, it was...different. The Wolf Pack was segregated from Rick and the others and you didn't like it. Trouble was brewing and for once, you weren't at the center of it.

"What's going on, Rick?" You asked.

"There are...new people. When we were busy with Woodbury, a few people found the prison. We think the Governor is getting ready to attack again."

_Again?_

You looked over to the Wolf Pack. Merle and Glenn were farthest away from one another, but you expected nothing less. They would learn to get along. The pack worked together, no exceptions. Daryl, Shane, and Michonne observed like always. No one on your side said anything, which was surprising with Merle Dixon.

It was then that you noticed the others. Everyone looked like they were preparing for battle and that was not good.

"What happened while Merle and I were away? It was only one day."

"The Governor attacked the prison. Killed Axel, sent us a van full of walkers, and...let's just say it was a rough day. Daryl saved my life. Shane thought we should leave right away after the attack on Woodbury, but we've built somethin' here."

That sent the Wolf Pack over the edge. Some were arguing that the prison was no longer safe, some were saying that everyone needed to prepare for defense, and others stayed quiet. Rick's side was screaming about Merle, protecting what's theirs, and...Andrea...Why the FUCK was Andrea there?

Daryl and Shane slammed you into a wall before you could get to her. "She'll betray us! I trust Merle at my back more than that bitch! Isn't she the Governor's girlfriend?! Fuck, you people have some seriously hypocritical morals."

Rick gave you a look that was pleading. "The Governor ordered Michonne's death. Andrea is here to talk and nothing more."

"Talk. Yeah, that's all that ever happens around here, Rick. But don't worry. Michonne and Merle are Wolf Pack. They're under my protection," you sneered, daring Rick or anyone else to keep arguing that. Everyone respected you and they knew when you were serious. THIS was not up for debate.

Carol spoke then, asking if Andrea would be willing to kill the Governor in his sleep. To your surprise, she agreed, but you knew she would never do it. Andrea had feelings for him. Gross. But they were feelings and that meant you and your group had to prep for what came next.

The Wolf Pack followed you out into the yard. Shane was furious, rightfully so, but now he knew what to do with that anger. Daryl was quiet, weary, and observant as always. Michonne was grateful for your interference. Hell, even Carl followed you outside.

"I want one of us present at all times," you said. "I love Rick like a brother, but talking won't fix this and he hasn't been in his right mind since what happened with Lori. We have to do prep and damage control. Someone needs to keep an eye on Rick to make sure he doesn't do something that will get the group kill. Michonne can you go with Rick and Carl on a run to find more weapons?"

You were giving her a choice like you did with everyone else. The silent warrior agreed with a jerk of her head and a smile at Carl. And the young boy was happy to have a job to do.

"Thank you. It'll buy us some time to come up with a plan of action in case of an attack. Shane, if you're up for it, I need you to keep an eye on the newcomers and anyone else who decides to show up. I trust your judgement." You turn to look Shane in his eyes. He also agrees to the logic in your plan. Shane had the skill to take pretty much anyone at the prison out or at least disarm them. He also had the ability to establish parameters and keep watch much longer than some of the others in the pack. Everyone had their strengths. His was endurance.

Daryl made an offer. "Me and Glenn can take a look at Woodbury from a distance. Keep an eye on the place for a few days while they make the run for the weapons."

No one disagreed, so the planning continued. You sent an apologetic look to Daryl before saying, "I know the Governor. I've been inside Woodbury several times and I know how he thinks. But we all know Rick. They're going to want to talk this out. And it won't end well. Merle and I will go to the meeting with him. Daryl and Glenn can stay in their positions to make sure nothing goes wrong. When Michonne and Carl come back, they can help Shane hold down the fort."

You met each and every one of them head on, holding their gaze until understanding swept through the entire group. This was how a unit operated. Cohesive communication. 

You raise your voice. "WE LIVE BY A CREED!"

Together your group shouted in chorus above all else, " **Anger, defiance, and nature, for we are a force to be reckoned with. forged from black fire, silent and ruthless in our claim. We are the Wolf Pack.** "

You, Daryl, Merle, Glenn, Shane, Sophia, Michonne, and Carl howled like wolves on the hunt. Tekah answered your call with one of his own. Together you were strong.

 


	17. Bringing The Fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Woodbury Army attacks the prison. The Wolf Pack is waiting.

_**You~** _

You walked into the Wolf Den hidden in the darkest area of the prison not overrun by walkers. The group waited patiently for your arrival, eager to see what you had to announce. Large bundles of black gear are tossed onto the metal table where you and Daryl made love the first time. He flashes you a quick glance and you blush beneath your hood. "Everyone has new gear. Black, no insignia, but the armor is good. I made it myself. A lot of it was from the old riot gear in the prison and some of the things I picked up on runs. The cowl neck doubles as a hood with masks sewn in to conceal our identities when infiltrating hostile territory. Feel free to make it your own, but I would feel better if the rest of you were guarded against bites and most weapons."

Carl was excited that he got new gear, too. Daryl was skeptical until you told him he could keep his vest on over the thinner material. He, of course, ripped the sleeves off as well as the hood and mask. Everyone changed into their gear, now feeling like a real group. You smiled to yourself, pleased that no one had rejected your offer. Glenn and Daryl left to assume their positions on the outskirts of Woodbury. Michonne and Carl left to join Rick on the weapons run. Shane went to his post with Tekah following close behind. You and Merle were left alone.

"This is it, Merle. You and I have to go out there and work together. Once you accepted my offer, I wiped the slate clean. There's no bad blood between us and I hope you keep it that way."

"Thought about what you said. Ain't no reason for me to keep on the way I have been. I might mess up, do dumb shit here and there. But I'm willin' to try, hear? Just....look out for him, ok? No matter what happens to me."

The lines that had been drawn in the sand disappeared between you and Merle. The two of you had Daryl's best interest in mind and that made you allies. Together, you crept through the woods cutting down walkers. You showed him the Wolf Pack way of doing things so that he might live to fight another day. Daryl had been right. Merle was just as stubborn as you were and harder to kill than anyone else you've met on the road. He fought recklessly, but it worked for him. Day after day you trained and fought beside one another.

Merle started to respect your skills and you even opened up to him about some of the things you told Daryl. He felt sympathy, but he held no pity, which made you respect him in turn. On your trip, you saw the Governor capture Andrea and take her away. Merle pointed out that only Glenn was at his post. Daryl had been called away by Rick. You, Merle, and Glenn headed back to the prison, eager to hear what happened. For the first time since the Woodbury escape, Glenn and Merle talked.

"Chinaman, what the hell is an _exit specialist_ anyway?"

Glenn rolled his eyes, but answered. "Michonne handles the retreat, right? Well, so do I in a way. She gets Rick and the others to safety while we do what we do. And I'm the guy who blows a hole through impossible odds. Finding cars, causing distractions, or whatever else it takes to get us out of a tough spot."

"So, if all of you have such fancy ass jobs, what the hell do I do?" Merle turned to you.

"What are you good at?" you ask honestly.

"Well, I'm good at getting myself into some bad situations. I'm good at surviving. And I'm good at lying my ass off when I need to."

Actually, him and Glenn would be one hell of a team. If Merle could take over your responsibility of infiltration, then you could focus on training and damage control, right? "Sabotage specialist," you say confidently.

"The hell?"

Even Glenn looked at you with confusion before laughing. Merle was already a master of sabotage. 

"He gets in, lies his ass off, and buys us time. Feeds us information when he can and stays alive. And then that's where you come in, Glenn. You do your thing and Merle does his."

When the three of you return to the prison you find out that Rick had gone to the meeting without you and Merle. Instead, he brought Hershel and Daryl. Rick pulled you aside when he noticed your agitation.

"We made a deal with the Governor."

"Are you fucking kidding me, Rick?"

"He wants Michonne. For real. The Governor wants Merle to deliver Michonne at noon or else they'll attack the prison," Rick explained. It sounded like he meant well, it really did. But you knew what that asshole was capable of.

"They aren't your people, Rick, so you don't get to make that call. Michonne is out there planning to built barricades to keep everyone safe. Merle was out there killing walkers with me so that we could hunt safely in the forest. You pulled Daryl from his post and left Glenn alone on Woodbury territory. Do you have any idea what he will do if you try to double cross him? He took Andrea, Rick. I'm not Barbie's biggest fan, but I know he's gonna do to her what he wanted to do to Michonne."

"What do you want me to do? All of these lives are my responsibility." Rick paced back and forth in front of you, looking more stressed than you had ever seen him. Something wasn't right. He was losing his shit and you didn't have time for it.

"Rick, I love you like a brother. I would trust you to have my back when I needed it. But...taking Hershel and Daryl? Agreeing to give up a member of the Wolf Pack? What were you thinking? Why didn't you wait for me?"

"We're running out of time!"

"And if you would have talked to me when I got back, I would have told you the plan! We had the intel, we had the guns, and we had the men. All we needed was you! And you went behind our backs and risked the group because you wanted to end things peacefully. **News flash!** He's not a peaceful sort of guy, Rick! Now we have to clean up your mess.."

You stomp outside after your talk with Rick and you signal a huddle with the Wolf Pack.

"No more practice, no more talk, this ends now. Glenn and Merle, take a car and create a herd. Drive it straight through Woodbury. Create an ambush to scramble their numbers. Michonne and Shane, you get the others armed and ready for what's coming next. We're going to have a fight on our hands and it'll end messy. The goal is a full evacuation until we can secure the prison. Carl, I need you to take Tekah with on the evacuation and help take down any walkers or soldiers coming at the group, can you do that?"

Carl nodded.

"When the attack starts. I want Michonne and Carl to start the evacuation, pull everyone out and get them on the road. Daryl will be in the watch tower. Shane and I will be on the ground to push the army into a retreat. Then we minimize damage, regroup with Merle and Glenn, and head to Woodbury to end the fight." When you were finished, everyone moved into action.

Merle, of course, had a question. "What about Rick?"

"Rick has his own plans. We do ours no matter what. He will want to bring any Woodbury survivors with in the aftermath, we all know it. They might not all be our enemy, but that doesn't mean they're our responsibility either. If he saves them, then he claims them."

The plan was put in action. Glenn and Merle found a car and blasted music down the road to attract walkers. They joked and argued, lightening the tension between them some more. When they arrived with the herd of walkers at Woodbury, they open fired on the Governor and his men. Merle laughed like a maniac and Glenn tried to stay positive as they were pinned down more than once. 

Back at the prison, soldiers entered through the tombs and attacked head on. Daryl picked off a large chunk of them from the watchtower until he ran out of ammunitions. He climbed down and stood back-to-back with you.

_**Daryl~** _

Shane had his machete out, slicing and dicing, using his strength to cut through their numbers. Y/N was all deadly precision with her bow and graceful with her blades. Daryl grabbed one of the daggers at her hip and charged a few of the soldiers. All of the noise was attracting walkers, but they were pushing the soldiers away. Rick joined the fight along with the rest of the group. He started to trust that the Wolf Pack would guard his advances and became more comfortable fighting with their unit. Daryl was proud of him. He saw Rick like a brother, too. So it was good that Rick started to trust people again.

Walkers came at them from all directions. Y/N reached into the pocket of her cloak and pulled out a grenade. She took off away from the prison before Daryl could say anything. Next thing he knew, an explosion came from somewhere in the distance and the walkers followed the noise. Shane, Rick, and Daryl took out the remaining living and the dead. The prison had been defended successfully, but Y/N was nowhere to be found. Michonne, Carl, Beth, Hershel, and the others returned about an hour later.

Still no Y/N.

Daryl and Shane got tired of waiting, so they went after her. Rick and Michonne head toward Woodbury to survey the damage. It took almost until sunset before they were able to locate Y/N. She was surrounded by walkers, hiding up a tree in the middle of the woods. Shane and Daryl fought through the cluster. Y/N jumped down and the three of them carved their way to freedom. They were surrounded by decaying bodies, collapsed on the ground beside them. She was the first to giggle. Shane shook his head but soon joined in the macabre celebration. Daryl snorted a bit, but he didn't find it as funny as they apparently did.

Once they caught their breath, the Wolf Pack regrouped along with Carl and they headed to Woodbury. Sure enough, Rick was busy gathering the citizens into a bus and preparing to return to the prison. Michonne had a different look in her eyes than what had been there before, clearly spending time with Rick had changed something in her. They found Merle and Glenn leaning against a car with a bottle of whiskey in their hands, taking big swigs and insulting one another.

Damn his family was weird. But Daryl wouldn't trade it for the life of him. He pulled Y/N in for a heated kiss that made her toes curl. He brushed aside her hood so he could whisper in her ear. "I've been practicin'. By myself, tryin' ta' last a bit longer for ya'. Thought we could test that out when we got back...whattcha say?"

Oh, she liked that. Smiling up at him like he hung the moon and the stars. Daryl tried to devour her. Tasting the parts of her mouth that he knew made her pool with wetness between her legs. He reached back and wrapped his arms around her, shocked when she squeezed his butt with both hands. Merle whistled obscenely. Glenn muttered, "Gross." And the others didn't really pay attention. He couldn't wait to get back and strip her clothes off so they could shower.

The group was growing, but he knew where he belonged. The Wolf Pack was his family, but Y/N was his home.

"Hershel said Carl gunned down a Woodbury soldier in cold blood."

"Think he's ready?"

"Got the head for it, that's for sure. Been helpin' us out and I think he would be better off if he was with Michonne more."

She snuggled into his chest, but he felt her nod. "The Governor is still out there. He'll retaliate. I know it."

"We'll be ready for 'em."


	18. Daryl's Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daryl gets a little jealous. *Smut warning* Graphic sexual content with emotional gravity.

_**You~** _

There were approximately fifteen Woodbury citizens at the prison now along with a few interesting individuals such as Sasha and Tyreese. Rick wanted to honor Adrea's final wishes, hold hands, and sing songs...or something. Shane and Michonne handled Carl's initiation into the Wolf Pack. Carol wanted to stay with Rick and you respected her choice. She was badass and she would soon learn her potential. You had faith in her to be a fierce ass mama-bear type. Sophia was still a bit closed off and she was getting her official initiation along with Carl. The pack was shaping itself into something great and you were excited to see the faces of your enemies when they realized you had formed your own little strike team.

Over the last moon cycle, Rick accepted more and more people after they answered his three questions. **How many walkers have you killed?** You stopped counting after triple digits. **How many people have you killed?** Gave up counting that too. At least a hundred in all of your travels and that was being generous.  **Why?** Oh, ya know. Reasons. If Rick had asked you those questions when you first joined the group, you knew he wouldn't have let you stay. There were things you were now comfortable admitting, but some things you would take to your grave. You didn't know what the criteria was to stay, but the population at the prison made your skin itch.

Hershel, Rick, and Beth started preparing land for crops. You wanted to laugh. I had been about a while since your attack on Woodbury and the Governor was still out there probably gearing up for what's to come. And these people were always so eager to build a home. You weren't the only one who thought it was a fool's dream. Rule number six of the Wolf Pack: No place is home -just a temporary base of operations so don't ever get too comfortable. Something bad always waited around the corner and you wished Rick would realize that.

Daryl came up behind you as you leaned over the railing of the watchtower. He trapped you with his sweat-slick arms as the heat of his chest pressed against your back. You felt crowded and for once it wasn't a bad thing. Soft lips brushed your cheek after he lowered the hood of your cloak. "Me and Glenn found a guy while on a run. Rick wanted him ta' stay, so that's another mouth ta' feed. Most of the Woodbury folks are worthless if ya' ask me. Most of 'em can't even protect themselves."

"It's been an entire cycle since we've had an incident. Something big is going to happen, Daryl. I can feel it. More and more walkers show up as people flood through that fence. We're out numbered at least five to two."

"Saw a herd movin' closer when I was out gettin' that deer," he mumbled.

"We have to take care of it before the the group's little paradise falls like the Roman Empire. Can you, Glenn, and Michonne go with Rick's runners when they leave? I would feel better if a few of us were there to keep an eye on the newcomers. Sasha seems alright, but...we don't know them yet. I trust you three to decide whether they're a threat to the group or not."

"I can go. But when I get back, we're finally gonna have some time alone. I don't care what everybody else wants us ta' do. We've waited long enough. Hell, we've barely been sleepin' in the same place since we got back. I miss ya', Princess."

You turn around in his arms and brush his hair out of his face. Those damn eyes stare right into your soul unflinchingly and you give him a kiss that sets that soul on fire. Your hands go to his waist and you tug him closer with your fingers in his belt loops. He moans when your bodies are flush, his erection against your gear. "Daryl!" Rick shouts. "Michonne and the others are ready."

Daryl shakes his head, but you push him away with a smile. "Later," you promise.

* * *

Rick went scavenging for food on his own. Dumb ass. You knew he took a gun with him, but wasn't that just worse? If he gets himself into a situation and fires off that useless hunk of metal, there won't be anyone around to save him when walkers swarm. So, being the angel that you are, you sent Merle to trail him just in case. That left you, Shane, Carl, Tekah, and Sophia to handle what you had planned.

You sounded the usual signal that caused any nearby members of the Wolf Pack to huddle. When everyone was ready, you let them know what needed to happen. "Walkers are coming in, drawn by the number of people we have here now. Rick and a few others are gone so this is a perfect opportunity to take care of it without facing resistance."

"What do we do?" Carl asked.

"I searched the prison last night and found what we need to take care of nearly all of them and any walkers pushing closer. We soak that entire area in the cleaning solutions I found, all of it is flammable. I'm going to drive a car to the center of the clearing over there. I'll make a ruckus while Tekah draws them over to where I'm at. Once the walkers are in position. The three of you will toss a few Molotov Cocktails into the field. When Tekah and I are clear, I'll fire a few flaming arrows to finish the job. The fire should be contained to where we soak the ground."

Shane ran over the plan in his head. "And when the car explodes, it'll draw even more walkers into the fire."

"Exactly."

It was a simple plan, but everyone saw the effectiveness. Carl and Sophia looked so cool in their smaller versions of your gear that it was almost easy to forget that they were still just kids. You were proud to know that they would grow up knowing how to survive when the world was out to kill them.

* * *

 

The fire burned behind you and the Wolf Pack when Rick and Merle came back. Rick looked confused by the sight of walkers stumbling to their deaths in the inferno that blazed in the clearing. You tossed what remained of your celebratory flat can of soda to him with an impish smirk. "Took care of the biters while you were on your nature walk. Bring anything back?"

Rick nodded in that way that said he accepted your help, but thought you were out of your mind. He liked you, you could tell. There was a mutual respect between the two of you that had always been there. You weren't afraid to call anyone out on their shit and he needed someone to kick him in the ass every once in a while. Too many people followed his leadership blindly and that was a lot of pressure for one man to handle. You offered for him to make Maggie a co-leader, but he didn't think she was ready. Rick looked shaken though. Something happened to him in the woods and that made you nervous.

Everyone walked back to the prison, happy to see that almost all of the walkers that had been swarming the fence had wandered into the fire as planned. Carl and Shane highfived. You pulled Shane aside as the kids went to have story time with Carol. It would be good for them to settle down after what just happened. Shane gave you a quizzical look. "What's up?"

"I need to talk to you about something. Part of me was hoping that Rick would have said it himself or Lori would have grown the balls to do it before she died, but you need to know." Here goes nothing. "Judith is your daughter, Shane."

"What? How do you know?"

"Lori. She told me a lot of things whenever she was scared. I promised her I wouldn't tell you because she was trying to work things out with Rick. He knows that little girl isn't his and I really wanted him to tell you for the sake of your history together. But it's gone on for too long and you deserve to know."

Shane wore an expression of such hurt and betrayal that it was hard to look him in the eye, but you stood your ground. He didn't blame you. He blamed Lori for all of the lies and the pain that she put those two men through. "I'm sorry, Shane."

"What I have with the pack is good. I want to stay, but I want to be her father, too..."

"You can be both. And when she's old enough, she'll be one of us. There are people here to help you, Shane. You're never alone."

He pulled you into a hug that was surprisingly ok with you. For so long you two baited each other into fights and laughed at each other's expense, but it had grown into a real friendship.

_**Daryl~** _

He returned with the others, finding Y/N and Shane hugging in a dark corner. She never let anyone touch her that wasn't him and it made his blood boil. Was something going on between them? Daryl felt his wrist hurt and realized that he squeezed his hands into fists so tight that his knuckles cracked. He stormed over to where they stood, grabbed her arm, and pulled her aside. Shane shoved Daryl, dislodging his grip. Y/N stood between them with confusion in her Y/E/C eyes.

"Ya' movin' in on ma girl?!"

"What? Calm down, Daryl!" Shane yelled. The group turned to look over at the commotion as Daryl got up in Shane's face.

Daryl turned to her, eyes stinging from sweat and tears that he held back. "How could ya' let 'em touch ya', Y/N?"

She flinched away from him. "You think I would do that? Daryl, I. Love. You. I can't believe you would think that I would throw what we have away and hurt you like that. Shane is like a brother to me and I trust him. He's Wolf Pack."

He was mad and even though he wanted to stop, he couldn't. Daryl pushed past them and rushed into the prison. He barely made it into his cell before Merle slammed him against the bars. "Don't do anythin' stupid, little brother. That girl out there loves you for some reason and you just pissed her off."

"Let me go, asshole."

"She just ran off on her own, told us not to follow."

"Y/N is a big girl, she can do what she wants." Even as he said those words, he felt like a jackass. Daryl hadn't reacted like that or spoken to her like that since around the time they met. He loved her and it was hard for him to see her trusting other people. He just got so possessive that he couldn't think clearly.

"If you don't go after her, I'll kick yer ass myself."

Daryl stared at Merle. For all their differences, his brother had taken on a protective role when it came to Y/N. Hell, everyone had. The Wolf Pack was strong because of her. She built it, she was the foundation, and the glue that kept them all alive. Daryl shoved his brother away and took off where he had just come from. His boots scuffled on the ground as he ran. Shane didn't say anything when he saw him, just pointed in the direction Y/N ran to. Daryl tracked her down for three hours.

When she didn't want to be found it was damn near impossible to know where she would go. But Daryl knew her better than anyone else. She would find somewhere dark and secluded. There. A felled tree created some sort of cave-type place where he saw her foot peeking out of. Daryl reached in and grabbed her with both hands, paying no mind to the blade pressed against his throat. She would never hurt him.

He tumbled back, pulling her into his lap, and brushed the tears from her face. "Look at me," he said. But she wouldn't. He made her feel like this and it broke his heart to know that it was his fault that those tears were there in the first place. "M' sorry. Please look at me."

She tilted her chin and looked him in the eyes. "I was telling him that Judith was his daughter. Why would you think....I would never..."

"I know. I know. I'm stupid, doncha know that by now? Took me a while ta see past ma own bullshit, but I knew ya'd never do nothin'."

"I love you."

"I love ya, too." He pressed his lips to her throat and felt her shift until the dagger was back at her hip. His hands roamed her body. She pushed him back until he was laying flat on the ground. Her hips rocked and the leather-clad apex of her thighs glided over the fabric of his pants, stroking his erection. Daryl wanted to feel her skin. He wanted to taste her, but she pinned his hands above his head.

"Don't move them."

He nodded his head as she unbuckled his pants, forcing him to lift his hips so she could shimmy them down his thighs. She stood over him, the cooler night air soothing his painfully hard cock. She lowered her pants down to her ankles and came to straddle his waist. Her movements were teasing, sliding up and down his length, but not penetrating. Precum oozed from his tip as he felt a flood of liquid pour between their bodies. She teased him with her folds until he saw stars behind his eyes.

Daryl licked his lips, remembering what she tasted like and how she pleasured him with her mouth the last time they were together. It felt like so long ago and he had brought himself to so many unsatisfying orgasms that paled in comparison to the memory. But it helped him build up a tolerance so that he could show her that this act of intimacy could be good for her as well. She brought one of his hands down so that he could feel where their bodies were snuggled together. He could have came just from the drenched heat of her core.

_**You~** _

You brought Daryl's fingers to your mouth and tasted yourself there. His lids grew heavy and his pupils dilated with want as you nudged your entrance with the tip of his cock. As always, his love came with a stretch and burn that made your eyes shut tightly for a few seconds. His thickness stroked the rippling walls of your sex as you sank lower and lower. Once you released his hand it returned above his head and you drank in the sight of him beneath you. His back was was bowed and his head was thrown back in ecstasy. Those arms that held you with so much love were streaked with dirt and blood, making you feel like an animal in your lust for him.

His pelvis bumped your clit when he began to grind upward, growing a little more bold in your love making. You flexed your thighs and pulled yourself up until his head was all that nestled in your spasming channel. Brutally you impaled yourself on him. The motion and the pleasure sucked the air out of your lungs and you knew he was just as breathless. When you would have teased both of you until madness took hold, Daryl surprised you by flipping you over until he was above you.

When the nightmares and the voices would have battered you into a fear that consumed your sanity, Daryl forced you to look him in the eyes and said, "They ain't here, baby. It's just us." He moved your hand down in the same way that you had done for him. "Feel that. That's us and it ain't never gonna be anythin' that ain't beautiful. This is how I love ya', Y/N."

You looked into his eyes that crackled with affection and need, falling into the endless blue you found there. His hips pulsated in a rhythm that made you bite down on your lip to keep from screaming, but your hand never left the place where he slid in and out of your warmth. His knees hit the back of your thighs. The wet sound of your excitement echoed around you, mixing with the pleasurable gasps that left his lips. Your other hand reached up and tangled in the hair at the nape of his neck, pulling slightly when he sank his teeth into your throat and sucked hard. You tilted your hips up, changing the angle, and he zeroed in that spot that had you panting in his ear.

"Yes....Daryl!"

He lifted up. "Sshhh, ya' can't make too much noise, baby." Daryl kiss you, taking in your moans of pleasure while you lost yourself to the blinding orgasm that rocked you to your core. He felt you tighten and stroked you long, deep, and punishing to ride your orgasm until he bathed your insides with his release. "So damn beautiful, Y/N."

You felt him leaking out around your fingers. Daryl pulled out, looking down at where your hand massaged his cum into your skin. You marked yourself with his essence. He groaned like a beast and tucked himself back into his pants. He helped you readjust your clothing and walked with you back to the prison. Thankfully there were only a few walkers that had been drawn by your pitiful mewls. You and Daryl took care of them without a problem.

Merle and Shane gave you both a look that said they may have heard as much as the walkers when you two passed them. They had been out watching the perimeter, so it was possible. Merle reached out to pull a twig from your Y/H/C, Y/H/L hair with a chuckled. Shane rolled his eyes, but slapped Daryl on the back a little harder than necessary. It was his way of saying, "Good job, brother. But don't be an ass next time." Daryl blushed and pulled you away from their amused glances.


	19. Negan's Queen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little different. It's a flashback of sorts of your time with Negan from his perspective written in the 3rd person POV and has little to do with the storyline with Daryl as it predates your relationship with him. This is a completely optional portion of the story as it will be mentioned in subtext later, but not in great detail.
> 
> *Smut Warning* and *Negan Warning*  
> It's beautiful and heartbreaking, but totally worth the pain.

He stood over the blood-soaked, trembling, naked figure before him. Negan found gear a while back that looked like it might fit her. He and his men tracked down a group from an abandoned camp he suspected had been shaken up a bit. The amount of tracks and body prints on the ground told him there had been some sort of a struggle, but bile rose to the back of his throat when he saw signs of only one woman and about six men. And he found those men, bashed their brains in with Lucile right in front of the delicate little thing on the ground.

She was one hell of a fighter, not going down even under the pressure of his men. "Wake the fuck up, doll. We ain't gonna wait here all day for your cute little ass to get movin'. Fought like hell against my men. Killed four of 'em and damn near took out Dwight's eye in the process. Good thing Simon tracked you and that little furry fucker out here, or else I'd have been real real mad. That shit does not swing around here. Now come take your punishment like a good girl..."

Her eyes snapped with defiance, but she stayed quiet. "You owe me, sweetness. I suggest you do as I say and we'll get along just fine." Negan noticed that she didn't respond well to his happy tone, so he switched things up a bit. He barked out a command so harsh he thought she would go for his throat, but it surprised him when she stood up and moved to his side obediently. Negan liked that shit. Maybe she wanted something honest instead of some candy-coated bullshit that would be harder to swallow later.

Negan took off his leather jacket and put it around her shoulders to give her some modesty. His men began to stare with shock evident in their eyes, but none of them were stupid enough to say anything. She looked at him with suspicion and curiosity. It made his dick hard. Whoever she was, she wasn't shit like the other women he'd met since the old world ended. This one was a fighter, but his time as a gym teacher and mentor for children gave him some insight. Every piece of her was broken to all hell.

He could see it in the way her eyes darted to each of them, watching their gazes instead of their hands for a sign of violent intentions. She knew how to read them like the pages of a book. Her arms were at her sides instead of trying to cover her body, like she was used to being nude before a group of men with lust swirling the air around them. "What's your name, darlin'?"

"Y/N." Her voice was clear. No signs of terror or hesitation, but acceptance that made him want to go back and kill the fucktards that stripped her bare and forced themselves on her all over again. She was a rose in the midst of this rat-infested sewer. Y/N needed to be protect. She needed to see the strength that still lingered inside beneath all of the pain. She needed _**him**_.

* * *

 

Negan trained her. Not to fight, or hunt, or cook, or survive. None of that shit. When she tried to hide behind that damn hood or mask, he'd snatch it off and dare her to do anything about it. He loomed over her shoulder and pushed her up against something until she had no choice but to fight. Negan would never rape anyone, but he'd be damned if he saw her cower beneath any man. So, he put her into different situations that would make her uncomfortable. And then he would fight her.

Negan slammed her against a wall so hard she bounced off the brick. She came at him, livid and with bloodlust in her eyes. "There you go, doll. Get pissed. Don't you  _ **EVER**_ let me see your sexy ass cry again. Not unless they're tears of joy and I'm balls deep in that hot little body."

He kicked her back, his boot landing on her sternum. She fell to the floor, clutching her chest and leaving her body open. He took advantage, but she caught his foot before it could connect. Y/N scissored her legs and dropped him down to where she had fallen. She climbed on top of him and pressed one of the daggers he had given her to his throat.

"Take it, girl. Do it. Take back everything those fuckers stole from you. Feel that anger and that madness in there. Use it to shut down all that weak shit you've got bubbling down deep. You ain't their prey no more."

He thought she would go for the kill. Anyone else would have done it. But their time together, these little sessions, had begun to let him in. Negan existed in a place no one else ever had. She loved him and he'd be damned if he let her regret that love. Since the first time he saw her broken down and praying for death, her wrists bleeding like a motherfucker, he had done everything in his power to deny how she made him feel. How possessive and vulnerable her Y/E/C eyes made him. Negan rocked up against her, shocking those pretty ass peepers wide open, letting her feel how hard he was.

She was afraid, he knew it. "Don't you dare. That ain't what this is. It's an offer and nothin' more. Kill me or fuck me, but don't you dare hide from me, Y/N. Who am I?"

Her voice was just as strong as always. "Negan."

"No, who am I?"

"My Savior."

That voice made his so fucking hard he was thrusting up against her like a madman. He loved that she called him that. It gave him the strength he needed to run his society with an iron fist that kept them all safe. She helped him do that. Her internal flame that awakened every emotion he thought had died long ago was what inspired him to build instead of destroy. "Where are we?"

"Sanctuary."

"And what is that?"

"My safe place?" she murmured quietly. Her free hand resting on his chest so she could feel his heartbeat through the fabric of his white t-shirt and know that he was real and that she wasn't in a dream. She was safe.

"Get that question off the end of that statement, Y/N. This is your home. But I'm giving you something you never had. And I'll be the only one to ever give it to you. A choice," Negan said. The psychotic energy that usually cascaded over his entire being had dulled to a seriousness that would have made a weaker person run away with fear. But he anchored her where she was perched over his hips. "You have all of the power here. I might be the leader of Sanctuary. The commander of the Saviors. But right here, I'm just Negan."

"....but..."

"I'm the man who loves you so much it makes me crazy. You own my heart, baby girl. Stay with me and be a fuckin' queen to these people. Let me love you and protect you, give you strength, and keep those bastards that still control your mind away. Or you can slit my throat and leave me here to die while you take your freedom."

* * *

Y/N stayed. She was on her hands and knees in Negan's bed, her ass in the air as he plowed into her with a fury. His biting grip on her hips kept her in reality. The kisses he placed on her spine made her legs tingle and her toes curl. Negan was everywhere. He smelled of leather and redemption, burning a whole in the world and challenging her to meet him half way. "Back that ass up into me. Good girl," he praised.

And she was a good girl. He left bruises on her scarred skin and left love-bites where ever he could reach. His skilled hand reached around to toy with her clit. She slammed her thighs shut, trapping him right where he wanted to be. He pulled the orgasm from her body like he demanded it. He owned her body. He owned her heart. Waves of pleasure washed over her nerves, bathing him in her wetness. "Fucking hell, doll. You squeeze me so good. Keep goin', baby girl."

He pulled out, her body clenching on air, missing him where she needed him most. Negan turned her on her side and lifted her leg over his shoulder until he slid home again. His hand reached around her throat and he felt her swallow down some air before he squeezed. Her eyes rolled in the back of her head. Negan loved the way her legs began to shake as she surrendered to his love. No one else had given her this. No one had made her sweet little pussy so wet it soaked the sheets and stained his skin with her scent for days.

Negan leaned forward, bending her beyond what she though was possible, and licked her shoulder. His hand released its pressure at her throat, but did not move away yet. She sucked air into her lungs and released a scream that sent lightening down his spine. "Cum all over this dick. Such a good girl....mmm...you want it?"

"Yes!...Fuck...please. Fuck me!"

And he did. Negan adjusted his angle and removed his hand around her throat. He hammered into her pleasure spot while his hand smacked her ass and the other pulled on her clit. He was on top. He was the one ramming into her so good it nearly hurt both of them. But she was the one with the control. She was the one with all the power. She owned him as he owned her. No one would ever change that.

But this was their last night together, he knew that. Y/N would run from him after everything they had created. It was the ferocity of his possession that kept him going to the other wives. She didn't know it, but Negan was scared. Y/N could change him like no one else could, so he would let her go. It broke her heart to know he still visited with Sherry and the others. It would break his heart in turn when she finally left, but it was for the best.

Negan turned her to face him. She opened her eyes and he saw the future he desperately wanted with Y/N hidden behind her tears. They called to him, beckoned him out from the walls he built up since his first wife. She made him want to be a better man and that was bad. He needed to maintain his hold on Sanctuary and his reputation but she weakened him.

"You are strong. You are a badass fuckin' warrior and I love you. Don't let anybody take your power again, baby girl. Whatever you need...anything you need is right here waiting when you get back."

She reached up and pulled him down until their lips connected. Her nails sank into the flesh of his back as the world shattered. Every part of her surrounded him. Her legs, her arms, and her pussy held him until he could hold back no more. He pumped his cum inside of her just as she plunged her dagger into his side with the words "I love you" falling from her perfect lips. She could have killed him, but she chose not to. She made her choice and he kept his promise as always. He let her go.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was written to give some backstory in how the character, you, were shaped by Negan. It also was written to show just how different the love between you and Daryl is in comparison to what you had with Negan.


	20. Dying Of Boredom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group is content with farming, raising pigs, and...normal things. You get a little antsy and Merle Dixon is the only one with a solution, of course.

_**You~** _

The prison somehow turned into a safe haven for those wandering around. Out on the land there were people tending to the crops, Carl and Rick feeding pigs, and other bullshit you knew was stupid to get attached to. The Wolf Pack were busy clearing out cell blocks to keep themselves from going insane. You sharpened your arrows, bitching out loud about being bored. Daryl came up behind you and pulled your mask down so he could see your face. "I remember when ya' never used ta' talk much."

"Yeah, no one could get a word in edgewise when _you_ were the one who wouldn't shut up. Everything that came out of that sexy mouth of yours was destined to piss me off at some point, I swear," you chuckled.

Daryl leaned over until his shoulder brushed yours. "Looks like we switched places then."

Shane came running toward them, his face pulled tight into a grim expression. "We've got a problem."

The three of them moved through the prison, cutting down walkers, and regrouping with the Wolf Pack. They made it to D Block with little trouble, where Shane motioned toward a Walker they all recognized. Patrick, one of the newcomers, had turned somehow. A few people were escorted away from those turned by Patrick. One guy needed his arm amputated, but Carol took care of it. You stabbed one of the walkers through the eye and cringed when you saw the fluids leaking out towards your hand. Pulling your blade free, you wondered what the issue was that had gotten Shane so freaked out.

Once the first swarm of walkers were taken care of, the Wolf Pack approached Patrick who seemed different than the other Walkers. He attacks Glenn, getting him on the ground and trying to bite before Daryl puts him down. More walkers appeared after that, awakened by the commotion. They stumbled toward the pack, intent on devouring your numbers, but something fucked up was seriously happening. Red oozed from their eyes, but no bite marks could be seen. Rick bashed as many of them as he could in the head with a metal pipe he found. Daryl shot walkers left and right with the crossbow. You launched yourself off of the wall and climbed onto the largest's shoulders, driving your dagger into the top of its head to the hilt. When it collapsed dead to the floor, you were standing tall with a smile.

Rick could never get over how much you enjoyed taking out walkers or how reckless your team fought.

"What?" you asked innocently. But he just shook his head with the dad-face you missed while he had been going through his breakdown. Hopefully he would stop pulling away from everyone and rebuild the relationships he left in the dust.  One of the strange walkers, Charlie, was what drew everyone's attention.

Shane pointed at the body. "There's no way he could've been bitten. He walks in his sleep, so he locks his cell. There's no bite marks."

You turn to Carl and ask him to go get Dr. Caleb Subramanian to inspect the body.

* * *

 

Disease had found its way to the prison. Some sort of flu spread by pigs and birds started to infect people. When you said you were bored, you weren't expecting to find a plague. Ryan, Violet, and so many others you never bothered to learn the names of got infected and Rick was debating on what to do with everyone. Carol somehow became responsible for Ryan's children, who honestly freaked you out like the kids from horror movies. And shit just hit the fan after that. The number of people getting sick made you want to run off into the woods.

Too many humans with human urges and capabilities resided at the prison for your liking. You didn't trust them. Not the smiles, laughs, and sunny days they so desperately clung to. It was frustrating. Nothing good ever lasts and here they were building good instead of surviving the bad. You hear the sound of Rick approaching and smile to yourself. It's been a while since he asked for your opinion, this should be fun.

"Howdy, Sherif," you drawl lazily, not even bothering to look up at him from where you sat.

"Shane and Glenn were at the discussion representing your pack. Thought you might want to know that they had a hand in comin' to the decision. We're gonna start quarantining people until we find a way to help them."

Michonne, Carl, and Maggie -who sat beside you- looked up then. You kept your eyes on Daryl where he was digging graves for those who died of the infection and had to be put to rest. He always took it upon himself to bury the dead, as though it was some type of therapy to know that their souls would be at peace if they were buried properly. You let him have that piece of normal.

"Glenn is gonna to have to stay away from everyone for a while. He came in contact with Patrick, so there's a possibility he could have contracted the flu. He already isn't feelin' well."

Without turning around, you stand up and lean over the railing of the watchtower. "How long until the fever sets in?"

Rick didn't have an answer, of course. But Merle Dixon waved at you from below, trying to get you down so he could talk to you. Finally turning around, you face Rick with a playful smirk. "We're probably going to cause some trouble, Sherif. Why don't you head over to where Daryl is and give him a hand while me and Merle have some fun? It'll give you two some time to talk anyway."

He nodded, but didn't trust that impish grin you wore. Too happy for your own good, you climbed down and wandered over to where Merle stood. "There's a gang of them biters comin' after all of that shootin' that went down. The whole lot of 'em are clustering together over by the weak spot in the fence. Saw somethin' weird, though."

The two of you walked over to where the walkers were. Merle pointed down to a bunch of dead rats lining the fence. That explained why they were so concentrated to one area instead of moseying along the perimeter like they usually would. Someone had lured the herd to the prison and right were there was a structural flaw. "Look like some shady shit to you?" Merle asked.

"I have an idea."

"Thought you might," Merle said with a smile.

"The pigs are sick, right? So, let's use them as bait. Tekah and I will draw the walkers away while you and Rick get the pigs spread out enough to break up the herd. We'll get Michonne, Maggie, and Sasha to take care of the ones who don't follow. Daryl, Shane, Glenn, and Carl can take care of the smaller groups once the numbers are thinned out."

"Damn, girly. It's like you were born for this shit."

You smile back at Merle, he was an alright guy now that he was sober and actually gave a fuck. "Let's have some fun!"

* * *

 

When the plan was executed, with the help of the others, black puffs of rancid smoke reached for the cobalt sky. Daryl had a cigarette hanging from his lip as he used the fire crackling before you to light the end of it. Merle made a joke about it smelling like bacon that made you roll your eyes to the heavens and back. Shane was the only one that laughed. You and Rick met each other's gazes over the fire, another of your silent shows of respect. Soon, everyone was walking back to the prison, shocked to see Tyreese kneeling beside two scorched bodies.

Karen.  _Fuck._ You knew it was Carol, there wasn't anything she wouldn't do for Rick's group, and Tyreese looked out for blood. Shane gave the Wolf Pack signal when Rick was backed up by the larger man. "I know what you're feelin'. I've been there. You saw me there. It's dangerous," Rick murmured, trying to calm the situation.

"Karen didn't deserve this! David didn't deserve it, nobody does."

Daryl stepped in and you tensed. He could handle himself, but it didn't stop you or Merle from feeling protective. Tyreese shoved Daryl against the wall and the Wolf Pack rushed forward, only to be stopped when Daryl raised a hand. "We're on the same side, man," Daryl said to Tyreese. He was so fearless in that moment that it made your knees weak.

Rick cautioned a step forward. The tension was rising by the second, even Tekah was feeling restless. "We've all lost someone. We know what you're goin' through right now, but you gotta calm down."

Tyreese backed Rick up when Rick attempted to touch his shoulder. You hand reached down and grasped the handle of one of your daggers. Daryl stayed your hand. "Let 'em handle it." Tyreese was circled by a group of people who would die for Rick. It was a tough spot to be in, one you had found yourself in too many times to keep track of.

The large man landed several bone-crushing blows to Rick's jaw. Carol yelled for him to stop as the tension came to a climax. Daryl tried to hold Tyreese back, but you saw a change in Rick. THERE IT WAS. The animal in him that had Tekah circling the group like he was on the hunt. You felt it too and looked at the pack knowing they recognized the change. Rick caught Tyreese with a well-aimed punch. Daryl removed himself from the fight. Rick was a beast. Pounding away at Tyreese's face until he was covered in blood and barely moving.

Rick growled low in his throat and the pack pushed forward once again. Daryl pulled Rick away. "Let go of me! Let go of me!"

Shane pulled a weeping Tyreese away. Merle stood next to Carol, who was in shock with her hands covering her mouth. Daryl finally let go of Rick, stepping away from his honorary brother. Rick looked down at his blood-soaked hand with a bewildered expression, he didn't meet anyone's gaze but yours when he finally came down from the rush.

* * *

 

You and the Wolf Pack head out of there after Rick went to see Hershel. Everything that they fought to build was brought down by a stupid flu. People were sick, Glenn was sick, and they were talking about holding a counsel meeting to see what should be done.  _Since the fuck when was there a counsel?_ Nah, they were too comfortable here even after all of the bullshit. None of the pack was cut out to hide behind walls, everyone grew agitated as time passed.

And once again, Merle Dixon was your saving grace, much to his brother's irritation. Daryl softened a bit once you kissed his cheek and rubbed his lower back the way you knew he loved. With the group, including yourself, needing space from all of the others -Merle's plan was to go on a medicine run.

No one outside of the pack knew about the maps. They were once regular maps of Georgia at one point, but had somehow evolved into your greatest weapon. Areas were marked off on the map -safe zones, settlements, cities, untouched lands, toxic pits of decaying bodies...everything except where you knew the Saviors were located. You marked off HillTop, The Kingdom, Alexandria, Terminus, the place where the freaky garbage people lived, and anything else you had come across in your travels or the pack was able to survey on runs. Little caches were hidden all over the place in case of emergencies, rendezvous spots, and anything else you could think of for when things went belly up. But not the Saviors. Never them.

Everyone pulled out their maps, separated into two groups: Michonne, Carl, and Shane in one group with Daryl, You, and Merle in the other. Shane's group was assigned the college while your group was assigned the hospital. Sophia and Tekah would stay behind and keep an eye out for whoever was sabotaging the prison.

As the huddle ends, Merle leans over and says, "I'll be lookin' for tattoo stuff while we're out there. We should come up with a symbol er somethin', girly. I'll leave it to you seein' as your the only one of us that can draw worth a damn."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A Blessing In Disaster is part of a series. It'll cover the remaining time at the prison. Part two will come soon after and will cover Terminus and Negan as well as a few others. Part Three will handle the Whisperers and what happened during the time jump.


	21. So You Think You've Won

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so they fall from grace once more....

_**You~** _

You look on as Rick and Carl work together in the garden once again and wonder why they even bother. You know Carl wants to be close to his dad, but it was just painful to watch now. Carol had been banished after killing two people, which you did not blame her for, but it was a sore topic among the group. Daryl, Hershel, and Michonne were taking care of the many bodies piling up at the prison. You were proud of your pack for staying focused on survival.

The adult members of the Wolf Pack now had matching ink. There was a small, black crescent moon on the inside of the left wrist with the words of the creed in red or blue running from the crook of the elbow to where the tip of the moon landed. It was simple, but it was something else that brought you together. Shane came to sit beside you. "What's your dumb ass thinkin' about now?"

"People are still sick, Shane. And I feel like something bad is going to happen."

"You always feel like something bad is going to happen," he snorted.

"And it usually does!"

"But what is it this time? You seem different, watchful as always, but there's somethin' banging around in that head of yours that I'm trying to figure out. Hell, I don't know how Daryl puts up with it sometimes. Freaks me out to think there was a time I was convinced that I was half in love with you," Shane's tone was joking as always, but there was a seriousness in his eyes that said he was being honest with you.

"The Governor. Where the hell is he? We've scoured these lands for miles and we haven't picked up a trail yet-"

Tekah's howl sounded through the air and you gave Shane your ' _told you so'_ look. He shoved you, but the Wolf Pack ran to where the sound came from. Your companion was circling the same spot over and over. Daryl arrived a little bit later than the others, having been arguing with Rick and Tyreese over Carol being gone. "Where's Michonne and Hershel?" he asked.

Dread sank into the pit of your stomach. Before the pack can react to the question, you crouch and find footprints leading away from the spot. You and Tekah follow the trail until you find a piece of Michonne's gear left behind. One of your own was taken along with one of the closest things the group had for a doctor. "He's here," you growl.

"The Governor?" Daryl asked.

"Shane, Merle, Carl, Sophia, and Glenn -defend the prison. Let Rick know what's going on and be prepared to fight in case he isn't alone and decides to attack. Daryl, Tekah, and I will track down Michonne and Hershel."

The pack broke off into their assigned groups to put the plan to work.

_**Daryl~** _

He followed her into the woods, keeping his steps light and his crossbow raised in case of an ambush. Tekah sniffed out Michonne's trail as Y/N counted the set of footprints on the ground. He covered them while they searched, but he scanned the distance in case more clues had been left behind. "Wattcha think he wants with em'?"

"They're bait. For Rick."

"Michonne?"

"Don't tell me you can't see it, Dreamy Blues. The lingering stares? The way he listens to her and freaks out whenever she's in danger? He wouldn't even hand her over when she was a complete stranger and he suspected she would betray us all."

Daryl snorted, "That's 'cause he's a good person, unlike us."

She stopped, turned to him and lowered her mask. As always, the sight of her beautiful face stole the air from his lungs and rendered him speechless. Daryl stared at her like a starving man. Y/N fixed him with a look that stopped him in his tracks. "Do you really believe our lies anymore? That we place the greater good above all else? Because sometimes I don't think there isn't anything I would not sacrifice for you, Daryl."

"Maybe I've thought about it," he admitted. "Knowin' that eventually we'll run into some of them groups you've seen, it makes me wonder if I'm strong enough to back down. Ya' matter more to me than my own life, Y/N. And if I had to choose between a million of 'em peoples' lives at the prison and one day with ya', I already know what my choice would be."

"We shouldn't think like that. This love could end everything. It's destructive and it's reckless. Do you see how quick we are to rush into something knowing the other person is in danger? It's not just pack loyalty or normal relationship, Daryl."

"Are ya' sayin' we should end it?" he asked, moving into her personal space and ripping down that damn hood. Daryl tilted her chin and forced her to look him in the eyes.

"I'm saying we need to be careful." She stepped away and they continued their search. Daryl felt like he couldn't breathe, feeling like his shirt was too constricting or the air was thinning out. He couldn't imagine his life without her and maybe that was what she meant. Maybe they were in so deep that one would die without the other.

An explosion comes from the direction of the prison. Tekah stopped just at the edge of the forest, hackles raised and a growl rumbling in his chest, but he stayed quiet. Y/N  slid across the ground on her knees, bow at the ready and looked through the branches. The Governor had a fucking tank.

_**You~** _

This was bad, this was really bad. Michonne and Hershel were on their knees with their arms tied behind their backs. Two unidentified soldiers flanked their positions with some impressive weapons. Sooner, you hoped, rather than later -these people would learn to listen to you about these things. Letting and enemy like the prick with the eye patch go free had been a really really stupid move. One you wanted to rectify with an arrow right away, but Daryl placed his hand on your shoulder. He pointed to Rick as he approached the tank. Seriously?

You groaned in the back of your throat and cut your eyes and Daryl. You put your bow away, but grip both of your daggers in the palm of your hands and move in. Barely above the group, you creep in closer from behind. With one hand over a soldier's mouth, you slit his throat silently and lower him to the ground. No one was alerted, so you push on, leaving behind the weapons in case they can be salvaged later, but you grabbed a few grenades. Trucks, cars, and other bullshit kept you hidden as you slithered around, dropping bodies left and right. Daryl kept to the trees, still aiming his crossbow on the Governor. But you knew if Rick was in the shot, he wouldn't take it.

Whatever Rick was saying, it wasn't what the governor wanted to hear. With Michonne's katana, he partially decapitated Hershel.

You were definitely taking him out. Beth and Maggie's cries could be heard from behind the fence. The attack began as Maggie open fires on the militia. You looked on from where you were crouched, seeing Shane and Merle defend the others. Carl shot down walkers, soldiers, and anyone else who came just a little too close with his lever-action rifle. Gunfire sprayed all around, the trucks began to move, so you couldn't stay hidden. Michonne caught sight of you and rolled across the ground. You cut through her binds and the two of you throw your heads back and howl.

The bloodlust was rushing through your bodies. She grabbed one of the guns from the soldiers and you carved the Governor's people up with your daggers. The Wolf Pack behind the fence gave their response to your call and you heard a similar one from Daryl and Tekah. The prison might fall, but you weren't going down with it.

The governor hacked away at Hershel until his head was completely severed from his body, a calm washed over him that infuriated you. He commanded his forced to tear down the fences and slaughter everyone...yeah, over your dead body. People scatter, running for safety as the prison is penetrated. You've got your eyes on the tank.

Daryl arrived at the prison before you, gunning down as many as he could. No one was paying attention to the damn tank, so you gave a look to Michonne that said you were about to fuck shit up and she gave you a brief smile. Her eyes darted to where Rick was pinned down and you understood what she could not say yet. Three heartbeats passed before you sheathed your blades and took off at a dead run, rushing toward the tank and climbing up the back. You could hear Merle's manic laughter and it made you chuckle a little.

Shane barked orders from somewhere, telling people to get on the bus. The tank barreled toward the prison, took out one of the bridges. The walkers flooded inside and started munching on anyone unfortunate enough to cross their path.You spotted Daryl fighting right in front of the tank and unclipped a grenade from your belt. "Daryl!"

He looked up at you and caught the grenade that you tossed him. He pulled the clip and pushed it down the end of the tank gun. You jumped from the back and ran for cover, taking care to kill the soldier who had escaped before the inside exploded. Daryl took out a soldier hovering to your left and you shot him a little wink.

_**Daryl~** _

She was covered in blood again. Splattered all over her face, neck, and chest, but she was smiling bright as the day. He ran to her, tossing the crossbow over his shoulder and pulled her into a kiss. Y/N's hands snaked around his neck and tangled into his hair, tugging him closer. He felt her legs wrap around his waist and the sweet taste of her tongue caress the inside of his mouth. Adrenaline coursed through his veins and it called to the animal in both of them.

Y/N pulled back and Daryl joined the fight again. Somehow he lost sight of her and everyone else. People were separated, scattered everywhere and not knowing where to go. Some were stranded and others got away on the bus. Shane led a group of people to safety as Merle covered their retreat beside Glenn. Maggie, Sasha, and a few others got away.

Daryl ended up stranded with Beth.

_**You~** _

Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. You were pinned down by gunfire and three walkers came up behind you, knocking you to the ground. Your bite-proof gear saved your life more times than you could count as you turned around and kicked them back. Fight or flight kicked in and you battered one of the walker heads with your armored forearms until its skull cracked enough to pull it apart with your hands. Goopy liquid poured from the wound and you dug your fist into its brain and squeezed until the body went limp.

You began to dry heave as you pulled yourself off the ground and finally had a chance to reach for your daggers once again. Quickly and with a speed that baffled the mind, you dispatched the other walkers and turned your attention on the silly little humans still shooting at you. Rick wrestled on the ground with the Governor and you fought the urge to yell, "Get a room!"

The governor overpowered Rick and started beating him half to death. You were busy with your own fight and Michonne was still too far away to help. Panic overcame you when Rick failed to find that beast within that you knew lurked beneath the surface. Just when you thought it was over, Tekah had the Governor on the ground by his throat and you heard the sickeningly satisfying crunch of his neck breaking. When your companion's head rose from his kill, blood dripped from the exposed fangs as his lip pulled back in a snarl.

Tekah threw his head back and howled, calling to his pack as the last of the militia either fell to their deaths or retreated. Rick ran to find Carl and you rushed to Tekah's side. You, Michonne, Merle, Glenn and Sophia were the only members of the Wolf Pack to join the huddle. Your eyes searched for Daryl and you knew Merle was doing the same. Shane was getting people to safety, so you didn't worry much about him, and Carl would take care of Rick.

But there was no sign of Judith, Carol, Maggie, Beth, Daryl, or any of the others. So, the pack came to an agreement. You and Merle would look for Daryl. Michonne and Sophia would search for Rick and Carl. Tekah and Glenn would track down Shane. Everyone agreed that the Wolf Pack would meet again at the rendezvous location where Shane would lead the survivors to. With the caches, safe houses, and secret codes the pack set up in preparation for something of this magnitude, there was a high possibility that the majority of the group could be reunited.

However, those who were stranded without a member of the Wolf Pack would be on their own. And you hated to fear the worse for Carol knowing that she was out there somewhere without a place to go. Daryl would be upset if anything happened to the only mother-figure in his life.

"He's gonna be alright, girly," Merle said breaking through your thoughts.

"Yeah? And how do you know that?"

"Because he's the only thang keepin' the two of us from goin' completely under. We ain't got a choice but to believe he's alright."


	22. A Safe Place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Claimers, as we know, are bad news...but they haven't met you.

_**You~** _

After weeks and weeks of searching for Daryl, you and Merle head to the safe house. The easiest thing you've done since the prison fell was jump into Shane's arms and finally feel like things were going to be okay. He squeezed you tight and tried to calm down your ragged breathing. "He's gonna be ok, Y/N. We'll find him. The pack won't rest until Daryl's back." And you believed him. Shane might be many things, but he wasn't a lier. Merle and Glenn gave each other a little nod of acknowledgement. Tekah sniffed everyone out once things calmed down.

You were introduced to Abraham, Eugene, and a few others that weren't part of your old group. No sign of Carol yet, but Rick, Michonne, and Carl were alright. You hugged each of them, now feeling close enough with the three to not feel the usual panic. Carl told you about how he ate a giant can of chocolate pudding and the two of you high-fived like two kids on the playground. You dug into your bag and pulled out a western novel for him, claiming it was how boys learned how to be "real men". He was already half way to becoming a cowboy, but you wanted him to have an adventure that couldn't leap off the pages and kill him.

Sophia was given a similar book because girls could be cowboys too, right? Er...cowpeople? Whatever. Merle laughed at your strange pout as though he could hear your train of thought. You flipped him off and made your rounds. There was no sign of Sasha, Beth, Bob, or Maggie. "Please tell me you know where Judith is?" you heard yourself say. Rick looked like he swallowed something spoiled and so did Michonne.

You look at Merle and the two of you pin Shane to the floor before he can kill Rick. He had spent most of his time away from pack duties to get closer to his daughter, having come to an arrangement with Rick that the two of them would somewhat co-father the little girl that both men had become attached to. Even beyond the grave Lori was full of baby-mama drama. Honestly, you weren't even sure why you kept Shane from killing Rick other than the fact that Rick had puppy eyes and was weirdly squishy to look at. Oh! And you thought of him like a brother. That was the reason.

"We got separated. Beth had her last I checked, but we can't find her either."

Great. Beth was...sweet. But she wasn't who you'd bet your money or your life on to keep a baby safe in this shit storm. Eugene looked a little sketchy to you as well. People asked why the Wolf Pack made safe houses and started to poke their noses where they didn't belong and you had no issue cutting said noses off if they got too close to you. The pack, of course, said nothing. Rick could ask all he wanted, but you wouldn't even answer to him. He wasn't your leader. No one was.

Abraham said Eugene knew how to make a cure, so he needed to be protected. That sounded...hopeful. And hopeful isn't really your thing. Out of everyone in the world, the dude with the mullet had the answer to all of your problems? There was no hiding the fact that Eugene was highly intelligent, but trusting someone who couldn't look you in the eye wasn't how you operate.

Seeing nothing better to do, you told Carl about your time with the Kingdom and King Ezekiel. Sophia was excited to hear about the king's pet tiger, Shiva. Shane, Merle, Glenn, and Michonne huddled around as well -no doubt thinking it was just a story for the kids. But you pulled out your map and pointed to the place you marked off. The place you knew the Kingdom was located. Sophia vowed to become a princess there and the pack laughed.

Search and rescue teams were created with at least one pack member leading each one so no one got stranded again. Glenn went to search for Maggie with a small group of people. Merle and his team went on runs in the nearest town. Shane teamed up with Abraham to search for transportation. Sophia was charged with babysitting anyone too afraid to do something about their situation and you left Tekah with her as backup. Once again, the pack chose a safe house to regroup at when their responsibilities were sorted out. And you, Rick, Carl, and Michonne headed out for the heavy duty stuff like finding those who were unable to escape in a group like Daryl, Beth, Tyreese, Carol, and apparently Judith.

Yeah, you were going to have a conversation with Rick about his parenting skills. But before you could, he asked you a question first. "How are you holdin' it together?"

"Are you asking me if I'm on the verge of losing my fucking mind without Daryl?"

"I guess I am, yeah."

"Can I answer the way you do? You know....thangs....and stuff..." You gave your best Rick Grimes impression and it actually got him to smile for a change. "I'm as fine as I can be, I guess. And you might not be a wolf like us, but you're my favorite human."

He shoved you to the side a bit, making you stumble a little. You hear a noise and go rod stiff. Michonne must have heard it too because her and Carl stopped the game they used to pass the time. Leaning over toward Rick, you let him know that you'll go scouting. He gives you that infuriating nod/frown combo, but doesn't argue when you take off into the woods.

* * *

 

Darkness fell and you tracked that sound down the road, catching what looked like several sets of footprints. What was unusual was the unmistakeable sight of one of Daryl's bolts buried a bit beneath the kicked up dirt. You followed the trial with your heart beating for the first time since the two of you were separated. Merle was right, Daryl was all you had left that kept you grounded to this existence. Without him, there would be death and carnage with each breath you took.

Some muffled words came from behind the trees. You removed your boots and tucked them into your backpack, it was easier to walk quiet when you could feel the ground beneath your feet. Bow at the ready, you make your way toward the sounds until you could see Rick and Michonne on their knees with guns to their heads. Fuck. Why couldn't these people ever stay out of trouble? You couldn't take the shot and risk these assholes pulling their trigger.

"Say your peace, Daryl," said a voice that sounded like a villain fresh out of Clint Eastwood film. Whatever remained of your heartbeat died at the mention of Daryl's name. You moved closer still, your bow trained on the dildo with his gun aimed at Rick. 

"These people....these are good people. You gonna let 'em go," Daryl said. "These are good people."

"Now, I-I think Lou would disagree with you on that. I'll of course have to speak for him and all 'cause your friend here strangled him in a bathroom." Ok...maybe Rick had a little more wolf to his dog bite than you gave him credit for.

"You want blood. I get it." God, the sound of Daryl's raspy voice caused tears to sting your eyes. It was so good to see him, but you hated when he dropped his bow and said, "Take it from me, man. Come on."

_Fuck, Daryl. Don't you do this, Dreamy Blues._

Could you take that shot? Could you risk Rick, Michonne, and Carl to save Daryl? The fact that you were even considering it made the love you and Daryl had way too dangerous. It would get one of you killed...

The Clint Eastwood film villain that looked like a dirty Colonel Sanders began to ramble at the mouth again. "This man killed our friend. You say he's good people. See now that right there i-i-is a lie. It's a lie!"

Daryl gets floored by a rifle to the gut and you're one more second away from releasing your arrow. They begin to kick him and beat him into the dirt, but you weren't a hypocrite. You believed in the words you said no matter how much you loved Daryl. Those tears that had begun to well now poured from your Y/E/C eyes. You'll kill them all. The timing just had to be right.

You were so focused on Daryl that you barely noticed when Carl was dragged out of a vehicle by a fat slob with a scraggly beard. Oh, fuck no.  _NOT ON MY WATCH, BITCH!_ Carl struggled on the ground beneath the weight of the man trying to force himself on the young boy and you see red. Every single face of your attackers comes to the front and your battle cry rings into the night like never before.

Through the haze of your anger, time stood still. The only sounds to be heard was someone firing a gun, the blood rushing in your veins, and a symphony of horrified screams....

_**Daryl~** _

He looked through a greasy fringe of dark bangs at the sound of her yell. Y/N broke through the trees with blood-chilling emptiness in her eyes that he had never seen. She slit the throat of the man who tried to rape Carl, threw his body to the ground, and began to carve out his insides with an impassive expression on her face. Nothing. No emotion whatsoever lingered in her gaze. No smirk or cheeky little grin ghosted upon her lips. She was gone. The beast had taken over and it reveled in its kill.

Even then she was beautiful. Daryl barely noticed the blood on Rick's face or the distant look in Michonne's eyes. Carl scrambled across the ground to Michonne and everyone watched in terror as Y/N finally stood up. The man on the ground did not look human or anything even remotely recognizable. He feared her in that moment, trying to watch her as she worked. Only the flicker of light that came with the gunfire from the Claimers allowed them to see flashes of her movements.

Y/N clung to the shadows and took them all out. She spared no one. Shouts of fear were followed only by the sound of bodies dropping and guns clattering to the ground. Silence....too much quiet that meant death had swept through with a ferocity no one was aware existed in this realm. She was like the Keres from ancient Greek mythology. "Y/N..." he could hear her breathing, but he couldn't see her through his bruised eyes.

He crawled over to where he had seen her last and reached out to touch her leg just in time to see her collapse. She was trapped inside her mind again, like she had been after the farm was overrun by walkers. Daryl stood up and lifted her into his arms. Rick, Michonne, Carl, and Daryl continued on their path. What they didn't know was they were walking right into the hands of the ones Y/N had warned them about. Without his map, Daryl didn't know that they were headed straight for Terminus.

_**You~** _

_You looked into the mirror and down at your body to find that there were no scars upon your Y/S/C skin. No dark circles appeared beneath your Y/E/C eyes and the years upon years of pain that you endured did not linger in the marrow of your bones. No mask, no hood, no bow, and no leathers. Tekah was asleep at the foot of your bed._

_And what a beautiful bed it was._

_Covered in fine linens, soft blankets, and plush pillows. Sunlight streamed in through the blinds to fall in an uneven pattern on a lightly tanned back. A dark head of hair popped out from under the pillow, a wide torso leaning back slightly, causing the sheet to pool around his lower back...Daryl...but the scars were not there either. The scars you've kissed and caressed with your lips and hands were gone. No longer was your fallen angel broken..._

_He gave you a dashing, lopsided grin as love danced within is dreamy blue eyes. "Come on back ta' bed, Princess."_

_And you did. Feet causing the polished floorboards to squeak slightly, you made your way over to him and allowed Daryl to tug you into his arms. "I'm dead, aren't I?"_

_"Why would ya' say somethin' like that?"_

_"Because my life could never be this beautiful..."_   _you breathed. His large, calloused hands brushed away your tears and kissed each side of your mouth. The tiny prickles of his facial hair was almost enough to make you think this was real._

_"It's real if ya' want it ta' be. Only you and me here, Y/N."_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end of part 1. There are two or three more parts coming as part of a collection.


End file.
